SPOTLIGHT
LEAH
W A L D O
Tell us a little bit about yourself and
your work.
I am a sculptor based in Detroit, MI. My
work centers around the contrast formed by
cast glass when fitted into ceramic forms,
creating a dichotomy of interior and exterior. Glass is fragile and delicate- by surrounding it with the textured clay form, I
have been able to create a conversation
between the two materials; a relationship
that correlates to life: the glass being the inner self and the clay being the exterior self. I
have found the contrast of the translucency
and delicacy of glass with the mass and raw
surface of clay to be effective in communicating the relationship of the internal and
external.
By marrying the mediums of glass and
ceramic, my work seeks to examine the relationship of the internal and external self.
The glass represents the delicate and complex aspect of the soul and heart while the
clay form signifies the external self. Chinese
philosopher Chuang Tzu coined the phrase
“three in the morning”, which means seeing
both sides of something without partialityboth are equally important. Thus, each part
of an individual is crucial, both the internal
and the external.
29 | NON-FICTION
What got you involved in creating art
for the Unbound Project?
I love doing humanitarian work... my
greatest passion is fighting human trafficking. After discussing this shared passion
with MAP’s staff member Luke Hassevoort,
I was excited to do anything and everything
to help raise funds for the Unbound Project.
How do you think art can uniquely contribute to creating social change?
As art can impact an individual at any
place and time, it has the ability to reach
people in various phases of life. Like music,
the visual arts can deeply impact an individual’s emotions and soul, providing the
impetus for social change.
Was the process of creating for Unbound different than your normal creating process? If so, how?
While developing pieces, I often work
with a specific phrase, thought, or concept
in mind. Making work for the Unbound
Project progressed in a similar fashion, with
healing from the devastation of trafficking
my main concept.
What does art do for you in your life?
What drives you to pursue art with such
passion?
My iterative practice has become my
lifeblood. It allows me to give my thoughts
and concepts a deeper meaning and physicality. Artmaking has brought deep healing
as well as given me a greater sense of my
Self and purpose. It also provides an avenue
to express thoughts in a metaphorical way.
What are the names of your pieces?
What message(s) do you hope to communicate to viewers with this piece?
My intent was for the work to have a
universal accessibility as well as invite the
viewer to deeper thought about the issue.
In each piece I want to communicate the
feeling of rebuilding and restoration.
Is there anything else you’d like to share
with us?
I am more than grateful for the support
and love I have been given, especially in the
past five years. It has definitely had a deep
impact upon where I am now, something
for which I am full of gratitude.
Broken Healing Broken
Cast glass, fabricated steel, low-fire multi-glaze
terra cotta - 9x6.5x4 in. - 2014
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