Emily Crunk

Would You Like Some Company?

Thesis Statement

There are many complicated relationships and feelings that clash and interconnect in my life. I make it a goal to introduce these messy moments into my art as a form of calming therapy. Simultaneously, I find joy in exploring the interactions between traditional two-dimensional illustrative styles and three-dimensional sculpture.  

I work predominantly with hand-building techniques because of how they embrace the organic nature of the clay. The texture that can be created with hand-building has always been a special part of the process. Texture can also help me communicate my emotions whether it be frustration, happiness, or emptiness. Comfort is a word that resonates most with my work; the characters that I create soothe me, but it also feels as if I may be able to soothe them along with the viewer. Color is an important tool within my work to create cohesion, connection between my figures, and to provide a safe space for those like me who struggle with their existence. I specifically use cool colors (such as blue and purple) for the skin to be able to create a sense of anonymity so a viewer may not be limited by their gender, age, ethnicity, or sexuality to relate to what I am communicating. 

Explaining complex emotions can be hard. How do you tell someone that you have gotten so comfortable in your sadness, that panic sets in when you feel happy? How do you communicate that you want to run away from your loved ones, even when you have a wonderful support system? These are the kinds of experiences I aim to show within my work.

Alone Again (What's the Point?), Stoneware, Underglaze, Glaze, 14" x 9", 15" x 14", 2024

Reaching the "Standard", Stoneware, Underglaze, Glaze, 18" x 24", 2024

I Was Selfish Today, Yesterday and Tomorrow, Stoneware, Underglaze, Glaze, Resin, 14" x 8", 2024