Kirsten Stingle Studio

Artist Statement
My narrative sculptures confront a modern paradox: a globally connected world that produces and heightens individual isolation and a superficial understanding of our place in the world. My work strives to cut through this isolation by highlighting common threads of the human experience through storytelling. My goal is to create a dialogue with the viewer, encouraging self-revelation and promoting a greater understanding of one another. I wish to transport the viewer into a fantastical world of the imagination in which ideas, fears, desires, and other points of view can be explored and better understood. The primary protagonist in each sculpture is the hand-built porcelain figure, with special emphasis on the communication tools of gesture and expression. Through careful collaboration with other mediums such as fiber, metal, book arts, wood, and basketry, I transform an intricate mixture of disparate techniques into a seamless narrative vision. Layering each sculpture with a delicate balance of mixed media techniques not only makes the imagery more vivid, but also strengthens the complexity of what is being expressed.
My ultimate objective is to extend my sculptures beyond the pedestal by creating an immersive and interactive experience for the viewer. In addition to combining different visual art techniques, I seek to collaborate with other art forms, such as performance, music, photography, video, and the written word, allowing the viewer to explore ideas through a more dynamic sensory experience.
Process
All figures are hand-built porcelain stoneware without the use of molds. A straight pin and scalpel are the primary tools I use to achieve fine details on the face, hands and feet. Each ceramic piece is then finished using multiple layers of underglazes, stains, glazes, and slips, as well as mark making to achieve a depth of color. After the firing it is fired, I construct and assemble the mixed media elements, which include welding, carpentry, sewing, felting, encaustic, fabric staining, fabric manipulation and much more, in order to further the narrative layers.
Biography
I am a mid-career sculptural artist that has achieved national and international recognition. I have been represented at international art exhibitions such as SOFA, Aqua: Art Miami, Art New York, Art Wynwood, Chromatica Rome, and Art Manila, among others; and, my museum representation includes Museo MACRO, Testaccio in Rome, Italy and the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art. I have gained curatorial experience in figurative and ceramic exhibitions. My current focus has been to collaborate with other artists and community partners in order to create a more immersive exploration of themes. I am part of the permanent collections of the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences, the Kapp Foundation, the Addams Family Foundation, and Cafesjian Foundation.
