May McCalmon
One of My Homes
BFA, Michigan State University
Spring 2020
One of My Homes
My recent work focuses on representations of familial memories and the ways that personal imagery can be integrated into shared experiences across two mediums - ceramics and paintings. My pottery is influenced by objects in my childhood home that encompass my youth: our dinnerware was a set of homemade pottery, and three specific vessels: two large crocks - for towels and dog food, and a ceramic dog food bowl. These “symbols” are my initial inspiration for my work and are further supported by the surface imagery I place upon them. This work evolved from a series of drawings and collages to connect various moments in my life simultaneously. Although the images are specific to my life, their details are left purposefully ambiguous, serving the purpose of representing memory’s lack of clarity, and allowing others to identify with the subjects displayed. My pottery is influenced by a global ceramic history; connecting further with the idea of blended experience and universal themes of family, childhood, and memory. The ceramic objects I create represent identity through memory and physical representation.
These themes continue in my paintings as they move toward an integration of ubiquitous objects, motifs, and representations of personal photographs. The qualities of limited detail or partially obscured images represent the specific memories and their accuracy, as well as their connection to iconic objects from my past. My work asks viewers to identify with these images and allow them to find connections to their own lives. My work compels viewers to reflect introspectively while offering a presentation of personal events.
I was adopted from China when I was eleven months old. I grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland, spending my days riding horses, and making art. I attended Michigan State University, initially as an international relations major, but a study abroad made me realize a change was necessary. My environmental policy professor told me that what you do in your free time is what you should be doing all the time. I majored in Art Education, and after taking my first wheel throwing class, decided to add on a BFA in ceramics with a secondary concentration in painting. Looking forward, I will have a year of student teaching before grad school, and I am caught between ceramics and painting, so I may be looking for an interdisciplinary MFA program.
May’s Website
May’s Interview of One of My Homes
Download Issue 14