My work is an intuitive delve into the intricate world of the traumatized body, seeking to communicate the isolating and indescribable experience of both physical and mental pain while also exploring the journey of rediscovering identity through acceptance and healing.
Central to my process is the intimate and performative act of lifecasting. I create molds that reference my introspections and sensations, working primarily with ceramics as a material that parallels the body. Through abstraction and development of my ceramic casts, I subvert expectations of bodily appearance and evoke positions of both discomfort and restorative postures, giving form to feelings of pain and alleviation. My pieces become vehicles for sharing my experience with others, capturing suspended moments in ceramic that blend the internal and external, the hard and soft, the resilient and fragile, the enduring and transient.
The materials I choose serve as conduits for storytelling. Ceramics and textiles signify profound human connection, human history, and the tactile nature of creation, embodying lived experiences and carrying the touch of its maker. I use these materials to highlight their resemblance to the human form in their visual and textural qualities, inviting the viewer to explore the intricate relationship between the body and the materials we encounter.
In my exploration, I navigate the juxtaposition of societal beauty standards and the harsh reality of pain. Purposefully incorporating imagery that oscillates between conventionally attractive and unsettling or abject, I confront the dichotomy between superficial expectations and the lived experience of pain and trauma, through which I aim to foster a deeper understanding of the profound strength, resilience, and complexity within the human body. My work is both a lamentation and a celebration of the body, inviting viewers to analyze their relationship with their bodies and to recognize the boundless potential for change, growth, and acceptance within the vessel of the body.
Savannah O’Leary is a mixed-media artist and ceramics instructor based in Atlanta, Georgia. In the spring of 2022, she earned her BFA in Three Dimensional Studies with a concentration in ceramics. She currently teaches pottery classes at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. Her work has been displayed at ArtsXchange Gallery, Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design Gallery, The Hudgens Center for Art & Learning, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, and Atlanta Contemporary. Her work will be exhibited as a part of ArtFields 2025 in April.
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