Ashley Burnett

Ashley Burnett I am exploring the relationship between femininity and the impact of the Church on the perception of womanhood. Thinking about the expectations that are inherently put upon women, and how that permeates throughout adulthood. My work is an expression of my own personal relationship with being a woman that grew up in the Southern Baptist Church and coming to terms with the power of femininity. Using mythological monsters subverts the feeling of isolation and demonization that I often felt growing up, more specifically when I decided to leave the Faith. These hybrid women highlight the vulnerability of desire, seduction, and the subsequent power that women possess. We must bear the sins that others put upon us. Not living up to the expectations set for women, is our worst crime. I am taking specific moments in the mermaid chronicle to expand and explore further. Creating in-the-round narrative models help support the conceptual ideas being presented across mediums. The dimensionality of the ceramic pieces help support the space that is created in my paper works. Giving form to the fantastical creatures allows them to feel more substantial and concrete. My influences include several artists who make work about their own experiences as women, or women’s issues. It has allowed me to see how they express these ideas and gave me a path to start walking on my own. Some of these artists include Kathryn Polk, Jenny Schmit, Hannah Wilke, and Andrea Keys Connell. Each of these artists present a unique perspective to consider when approaching my own compositions and narratives.