FOOTSTEPS AND MONUMENTS | PAIGE WRIGHT

May 3 – June 23, 2024 | CAMAS GALLERY
OPEN RECEPTION: FRIDAY, MAY 3 FROM 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Artist statement

As I walk down the beach, I’m drawn to stepping into the footprints left by others.
In those brief moments of following in someone else’s path, I contemplate their
movements and compare them to my own stride. Who were they? What did they
look like? How long ago did they traverse this space, and how did it shape their
experience? I find myself captivated by the profound connection between human
anatomy and our surroundings. Footprints, the ancient imprints we leave behind,
serve as poignant reminders of this intricate relationship.

Portrait monuments compel us to associate a specific individual with a particular
place. But I’m more intrigued by the inverse question: what about the
environment molds us into who we are? Consider, for instance, how the shape of
our nasal cavities evolved in response to temperature variations in our
surroundings. Each contour and transition within the human face becomes a
monument, telling stories, encapsulating individuality, and inspiring introspection.

My admiration for the human form manifests in my craft. Through the meticulous
process of hand-building ceramic heads, I construct each piece, coil by coil, step
by step. Gradually, a face emerges from the clay. Rather than aiming to replicate
a specific person, I seek to uncover a plausible individual through the creative
process. It’s as though my fingers become the footsteps, while my thoughts serve
as the environmental conditions shaping the outcome.
These portrait sculptures serve as commemorative placeholders for the human
body and the forces that have shaped it.

aBOUT THE ARTIST

Paige Wright is an artist who primarily works in clay. She received her Bachelors in Fine Arts with an emphasis in ceramics from The University of Montana in Missoula in 2006. She has participated in several artists in residence programs including the Carbondale Clay Center’s long term residency program, Red Lodge Clay Center’s year long residency program, Ohio University study abroad program at The International Ceramics Studio in Kecskemét, Hungary, and Project Network at the International Ceramics Research Center: Guldagergaard, Denmark. She received her Masters in Fine Arts with emphasis in ceramics from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in 2012. Paige was brought back to her hometown of Portland, Oregon in 2013 to help start and run the vessel design and production house Mazama Wares. She has held positions at Ohio University, Grand Valley State University, The Oregon College of Arts and Crafts, Clark College, Radius Art Center, Idyllwild Arts Academy and Pratt and Larson Tile. Known for her expressive faces and versatile building techniques, she conducts workshops, lectures and exhibits around the country. She is currently running a tattoo themed U-paint Ceramics experience called Tough Dirt Tile to create an entryway into craft for the art to personal expression. In 2023, Paige will conduct art lessons for kids and adults focusing on ceramic sculpture and alternative finishes.