Emma Richards's Projects

BFA Alumni

Major: Ceramics

Graduation Year: 2017

Artist Statement:

I am fascinated by children, their development into adults and the ensuing implications of religion, social constructs, and intrinsic human nature. This fascination drives me to better grasp the metamorphosis into adulthood. I also delve into other related themes of childhood, such as the nature of innocence, corruption, growth, anthropomorphism and wonder.
I utilize the human figure and iconography commonly used in children’s stories to create moments of arrested narratives. A fanciful scenario. These narratives function as allegories, a “frieze” possessing a cherubic creepiness that places the viewer in a state of unease. This uncanny feeling will feasibly allow the viewer to rethink elements of their own upbringing and what it is to become a person.

Biography:

In 2017, Emma Richards received a BFA in Ceramics from the Maine College of Art, Portland, Maine. Emma works primarily in figure sculpture for which she employs a combination of traditional ceramic techniques and multimedia surfacing. She also works in various two dimensional mediums.
Her greatest inspiration comes from children and her own childhood. This drives her to create not only conceptual sculpture exploring childhood, but also illustrations and functional children’s products.
Through all her work, functional and nonfunctional, there is a pervasive style. This style is inspired by numerous sources, some of which include Japanese
pop-art, ancient Olmec and Mayan figures, American Folk Art, and Chinese calligraphy and ink paintings.