ARTIST STATEMENT
With remembrance, I can embrace what has been lost. My work is a eulogy of hope and grief with an emphasis on the absurdity of life. By creating whimsical vessels with capricious moments, I emulate the joyous moments in life that contrast to the desolate instants of despair when confronted with loss. These recurring themes about life and death and how to balance hope and grief reveal themselves in the choice of confined forms, aged surfaces, and the tension between movement and an inert object.
BIOGRAPHY
Erica Hopper earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in ceramics from Eastern New Mexico University in 2014. Her work was exhibited in “The Art of New Mexico Women,” “30 Under 30”, and “International Annual Art Show” before moving to Taos, New Mexico. From 2015-2017 Erica was awarded the long-term teaching residency at Taos Clay. During her time at Taos Clay, she presented 500+ artworks in her solo exhibition, Results May Vary. In 2017 Erica was accepted at The University of Oklahoma, where she graduated in 2020 as a Master of Fine Arts. She currently resides in North Dakota after excepting a one-year ceramic 3-D printing residency at the University of North Dakota.
As a ceramic artist, Erica focuses on creating challenging forms in clay that require other media and found objects to function. Erica’s work has grown from wheel-thrown pottery and begun to integrate ephemeral sculptural forms with functional ceramic wares. Her current work examines grief, empathy, and the coping mechanisms individuals create to recover from loss. |
CERAMIC CLASSES
"...know that while knowledge may be given freely it is only through practice that you will achieve mastery."
Erica Hopper is a ceramics instructor and dedicates her time to becoming a well rounded influence for others looking to learn more about ceramics. She currently works and teaches classes for Plains Art Museum in Fargo, North Dakota. If you are interested in learning more about the process of ceramics, consider taking a class with her today!
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