We are of this World

ceramic, wood, glass, metal sculpture 

17x6x6"

Grandmother of Henry '10 and Calder Birdsey '12

I was born in the small southern town of Macon, Ga., brought up in a family of artists, writers and storytellers. It was a wild and happy childhood with lots of playtime. My daddy had a studio where I had an open invitation to experiment with what was around me. Bookshelves lined the walls and cabinets, filled with all kinds of media and tools, brushes, art and drawing books, beckoned me to play. He used an old crusty drawing table and stool that rose up and down to sit on. Pencils, pens and brushes stood erect in jars and coffee cans. Smells of cigarette smoke and turpentine filled the air. I was the happiest sitting on the floor “messing” around with all sorts of materials.

Ceramics and mixed media including painting and drawing provide a perfect vehicle for reimagined narratives of a child’s memories and dreams. I work intuitively, using stories from the past and images of other unconscious worlds, re-arranged and transformed to make sense of the world today. Animals, the figure, the natural world, and everyday objects, trigger my imagination to create both the serious and humorous stuff of life.

gingerbirdsey@gmail.com

www.gingerbirdsey.com