Abstract
Recent Works is a body of art that arrived from my deep connection to the earth and nature. I was born and raised on a lake in upstate N.Y. and my childhood offered me a plethora of stimulation for my senses to receive and appreciate. It is a magical place to discover childhood, to experience as an adult, and one that remains my sanctum sanctorum. Growing up and bearing witness to a fluctuating and fragile ecosystem, where you can experience some of nature’s most triumphant moments and its transitional phases, has revealed itself in a way that has continuously informed my relationship with art making. The way I think and interact with the world around me, and the means by which I find self-expression have all originated from being an inhabitant of a lake. The immersive physicality in that environment and growing from it have allowed a deeper appreciation for the feel of dirt between my hands, walking barefoot on dew-covered grass, or stepping across a pebble laden shoreline on a chilly morning. The smell an open breeze hitting your face offers, the range of temperatures you experience while diving to the lake’s depths as long as your breath will hold; this is a mere taste of that lifestyle.
My work examines a human connection with nature through the use of naturally derived materials and ceramic forms. With the ever present advancement of technology and how it has changed our relationship to the natural world, I am exploring and questioning our relationship with nature through ubiquitous materials in the context of art. World renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy once said, “We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.”
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Ceramic sculpture--Themes, motives; Mixed media (Art)--Themes, motives; Nature in art
Publication Date
10-31-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Student Type
Graduate
Degree Name
Fine Arts Studio (MFA)
Department, Program, or Center
School of Art (CIAS)
Advisor
Elizabeth Kronfield
Advisor/Committee Member
Luvon Sheppard
Advisor/Committee Member
Glen Hintz
Recommended Citation
Caputo, Edmond, "Recent Works: Exploring Connections with Naturally Derived Materials through the context of Art" (2017). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from
https://repository.rit.edu/theses/9632
Campus
RIT – Main Campus
Plan Codes
FNAS-MFA
