AMI AYARS
I am fascinated with the exploration of the planet and what it is still hiding from us. As a child I wanted to be a paleontologist and dig up the dirt and rocks to uncover what lay hidden beneath my feet. As an adult I am still mystified by the unknown crevices of our shared planet. Earth is a vast and varied place full of wonder. My work aims to capture that sense of exploration and discovery. I make ‘creatures’ and other forms to compose them in make-believe environments. I want to share these little worlds with my viewers in a way that makes them inquisitive and provokes them to create fresh, alternate realities for which these objects can exist within.
People are continuously trying to figure themselves out; who they are, what they are, where they belong, etc. They are attempting to fill what they perceive to be their specific place and roll on this earth. Creating these objects as creatures and fabricating their supposed habitats is my own way of coping with the overwhelming sense of how small we humans actually are compared to the grand scale of the Earth. We will never know the full extent of the planet and it’s inhabitants. That idea is where my inspiration lies.
Clay is a material that I've always been attracted to. It is of the earth. In this regard, it is the perfect material to use in my work. The finished clay pieces reflect the earth’s voice and create their own working dialog within these fabricated environments. My other medium of choice is photography. I am drawn towards photography’s innate ability to record exactly what it sees in front of its lens. Yet, it is the camera’s fabled ability to perceive the unknown that really captures the sense of wonder in my candid, documentation style of work.
As for my pottery, I like to think of each pot as a momentary portal into another realm or dimension that draws one into a deeper connection with the Earth and the Universe. In the sense that when the object is held, users can be transported to a different state of being or experience a heightened awareness of the current moment such as taking their first sip of a smooth, dark and sultry coffee after just waking up or sitting down to relish the splendor and delicacy of a fine tea, wine or scotch, after a long strenuous day. What sort of realities and veins of thought do you find hidden inside your drinking vessel? Functional objects such as these pots are a treat for the senses. They are there to be fondled by fingers, licked by the tongue, kissed by the lips, oggled by the eyes, beathed into one’s body. Only one’s lover has those privileges...until now ;) Take a deep centering breath, let go of your inhibitions, just be. May these pots unlock a new passion for the intimately small snippets of time that you create with the objects around you.
I received my Bachelors of Fine Art in Ceramics from the University of Kansas in 2011. I also hold minors in French Language and Art History, and spent all my free time in the dark room and the Alternative Processes photography classes. I grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City and now live in the East Crossroads.
In 2018 I co-founded the SpraySeeMO Mural Festival with my husband, Rif Raf Giraffe, which has helped fascilitate over 175 murals throughout 8 differnt Kansa City neighborhoods since. I also currently, I curate and manage Upper Level Gallery, formerly known as Plenum Space Gallery. I occasionally moonlight as a free-lance photographer, and take my camera with me everywhere I go. In the past, I have worked at EPIC Clay Studio as their Studio Manager, Technician, and was their first Artist-in-Residence. I have shown work at various local venues around the Kansas City Area including Cerbera and the InterUrban Art House, as well as nationally, such as the Missoula Art Museum in Montana.
My latest work focuses on large and small-scale organic forms that relate non-directly to organisms in the natural world, especially the oceans. I use clay (water-based and polymer) as my main medium and then sometimes photograph these pieces in natural settings with a fantastical edge to create fresh, alternate realities where these creatures may exist.
In my spare time I delve into the depths of astrology & herbalism, and of course travel as much as I can with my husband who doubles as a crazy flying giraffe...
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Check out my collection of stock images available at Shutterstock.com for downloadable photographs HERE!