Artist Statement
I use repurposed craft beer cans as a primary element in my work. The cans are cut open and either hand stitched or woven into the surface with wire and monofilament, then painted in acrylic and enamel paints. The text and bar codes sneak out from beneath the surface of the paint, as it is important that these are not recognizable brands, but recognizable as labels. The play on words of the “craft beer” to their artistic inclusion of the artwork is meant to help initiate the conversation of craft vs fine art, “highbrow” vs “lowbrow,” consumer choice and traditional gender identifying hobbies or activities.
The glass is hand blown using a copper caging technique where a form is created to blow the glass through to create a unique asymmetrical form. These forms and their inclusion into the work were inspired by spending time in a region where fracking is done and the water was undrinkable, smelling of gas. The crystal ball nature of the glass is meant to mimic the predictive elements of Climate Change and environmental pollution, where the effects and repercussions are still unknown. The titles refer to phrases and sayings that tell only partial truths, where we must attempt to discover the rest of the story.
In a world that wants quick sound bites, my work is complicated. They have multiple layers not only in their process, but in their topics of conversation and conceptual ideas. They are somewhere in the middle of craft and fine art, masculine and feminine, even abstract and representational.
— Christina Massey
Bio