Abstract

In this thesis, I explored bodily transformation and resilience after trauma through the lens of personal experience with domestic violence. I created sculptural installations using my imagery of bruises, scars, and injuries to convey the ideas of reclamation, healing, and empowerment. The ephemeral quality of natural dyes reflects the impermanence of bruises mirroring the organic journey of recovery. I approach my work from a personal perspective. The sculptural forms serve as fragmented representations of traumatic memory. My artistic practice is deeply tied to materiality and process—choosing natural dyes, textiles referencing care and domestic spaces, sculptural forms derived from personal documentation, entomology pins, and suspended forms allowing for subtle movement. These choices create a space for reflection, inviting viewers to find personal resonance. My work offers an opportunity for my audience to reflect on one’s own ability to transform mentally and physically. Stemming from some of the darkest moments in life, the resultant pain and trauma can form into a renewed sense of beauty and strength. My artistic practice contributes to a larger dialogue about domestic violence, trauma-informed artmaking, and the role of materiality in the mending of one’s self. Ultimately, this work is an act of defiance, a refusal to be consumed by past wounds, and a declaration of the human spirit’s ability to transform.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Soft sculpture--Technique; Soft sculpture--Themes, motives; Psychic trauma in art; Intimate partner violence--Pictorial works

Publication Date

4-28-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Fine Arts Studio (MFA)

College

College of Art and Design

Advisor

Eileen Bushnell

Advisor/Committee Member

Emily Glass

Advisor/Committee Member

Lauren Ramich

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

FNAS-MFA

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