Eva Tallent
Artist Statement
My work characterizes and illustrates the different kinds of human relationships and behaviors. The interactions we have with strangers, family members, lovers, or ourselves are important in the makeup of our lives. I believe our behavior and connection with others is an element that molds our personality and our growth. Each piece that I create symbolizes the give and take of different relationships, the outcome of something that promotes the growth, support, or trauma of a person since they are positive or negative. I chose different animals to symbolize characteristics or personality traits a person may have. I create landscape and cityscape paintings to be paired with the ceramic sculptures. The paintings are treated as a habitat for the sculptures to stand in, and give off the overall mood and environment that may not be felt or physically sculpted. Though the environment is not three-dimensional like the sculpture is, it still leaves an impact that affects the piece, which indicates a relationship with our environment as well and how it can affect ourselves and other people. The option is left for the audience to come close and try to decipher each story, or to remain on the surface and look at the aesthetic aspects. This decision is open-ended and completely up to the viewer, just like it is with any relationship.
I hand-build my sculptures using stoneware and earthenware. Stoneware is used for its malleability and color for the smaller pieces, and earthenware on larger sculptures due to the clay’s more firm and stable structure. For surfacing I used acrylic paint, charcoal, ink, and soft pastels. The same materials are used in both the sculptures and paintings so they are more expressive together than if they existed separately. |
Bio
My name is Eva Tallent. I grew up in Snellville and Lilburn Georgia with my dad and three sisters. I doodled a lot with my twin sister in high school, who is now a digital artist that focuses on character concepts. After highschool I decided to attend LaGrange College. My original interest was Animation, but this evolved into Painting/Drawing and Ceramics. Having two different concentrations made me want to figure out how to combine ceramics and drawing/painting so I could better my skills in both areas at the same time. My work involves my passion for the behaviors of people/animals and how to portray them in certain situations. Some inspiration comes from portraiture, fantasy concepts, and storytelling since it relies on skillful narration and illustration.