Annel Mercado

Artist Statement: 

In my work, I explore the natural world and the way people have transformed and assimilated nature into society. I’d love to continue my education and seek mentors who can help me further my skills, so my educational goals revolve around securing a way to fund my creations. I hope to one day have the ability to commit space and time to my work.

Before I get started on a piece, I look for inspiration in everything as motivation to create. Most times, such as when I made Wilting Kiss, this motivation comes from wanting to explore the human body. It may seem perverted, and it partly is, but it is my love, as a pansexual person, that really fuels my creative process. Sculpting each tooth and creating smooth and inviting lips felt to me like caressing my partner’s mouth in a passionate kiss. I sculpt both from reference and memory, making sure to feel every crevasse until it just feels right. I hope to create more dynamic pieces inspired by, and forgive my shameless-ness, pornographic imagery that I feel really encapsulates the way we as people use our bodies to love one another.

My educational goals plays an important role in furthering my artistic future, as I seek to both find a stable job solely for income and to learn more about different mediums for my creative expression. My true goal is to be able to resume my artistic educational journey once I have the resources to do so.

With enough space, I’ve found it very easy to dedicate myself to create bigger pieces, like Jacob’s Ram, and hope to be able to create even bigger ones in the future.

Overall I’m very grateful for the guidance I’ve received from Professor Cruces and having access to the ceramics studio. After being introduced to the ceramic world, I’ve only become more excited for future projects!