Nonverbal Communication Studies
& Grounded Silhouettes
There's a Reason for Every Creation and Its Process
Current work
My recent ceramic sculptural work is based on my daily observation of human communication through body language. These slender or chunky figures are abstractly formed by the weight pull of the clay which make unique convex or concave features to compliment the form. The piercing of the clay is significant to the absence of gesture without signage or language. The figures are replications of communication between two people and at the same time can interact with the audience.
Inspiration & Purpose of design
What inspired me to create this body of work was my interest of people watching and paying attention to the small details of reading body language and gesture without signage or language. My goal is to bring awareness to the psychology of understanding, and the impact of human nature and nonverbal communication. This ultimately creates connections between the viewer and the art object. The oddness of the form invites the viewer to then be a part of the conversation when being gazed upon or unacknowledged. The distance, height, and negative space play a role of how one may exemplify proxemics. Paralinguistic is the reason I create on a larger scale, “It’s not what you say, but it’s how you say it”, which is another factor of nonverbal communication. The sculptures scale and color are a metaphor for the voice of my work. These personified figures are black and white because they’re to be symbolic to the absence of noise, so the audience is to only focus on the figures body language. My pedestals contradict my work to the fact of nonverbal communication is not heard or to be loud which my work opposes to be. I placed the figures on these loud rough textured wooden crate pedestals to adopt purpose of a soapbox.
Solo Show "Afro expressions"
Afro Expressions involves two separate bodies of work dedicated to Afrocentric Expressionism based on Communications Studies and is to bring awareness to the psychology of understanding, and the impact of human nature with nonverbal communication. With the style inspiration of the Venus of Willendorf, from Paleolithic times, Vintage Kenya Soapstone, and Shona Sculptural Art from Zimbabwe Lily displays a body of work called Nonverbal Communication Studies. The figures ultimately create connections between the viewer and the art object. The oddness of the form invites the viewer to then be a part of the conversation when being gazed upon or unacknowledged. The distance, height, and negative space play a role of how one may exemplify proxemics. Paralinguistic is the reason She create on a larger scale, “It’s not what you say, but it’s how you say it”, which is another factor of nonverbal communication. The sculptures scale and color are a metaphor for the voice of her work. These personified figures are black, white, and bare because they’re to be symbolic to the absence of noise, so the audience is to only focus on the figures body language. The pedestals contradict her work to the fact of nonverbal communication is not heard or to be loud which her work opposes to be. She placed the figures on these loud rough textured wooden crate pedestals to adopt purpose of a soapbox; A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. Grounded Silhouettes 3D paintings where she expresses her individuality within her intentional choices of materials, color, andDesign. She incorporates elements of nature which is symbolic to her grounded personality trait and connection to nature. Leaves are for growth, sawdust is the shedding of the past, and sand is for durability and strength. These elements not only add texture to the background and hair but characteries the silhouette figures. The fluent and vibrant colors enhance the personality of the characters. The expressions of others are frequently used more often than her own for the gestures of the silhouettes. Jazz is a big inspiration of for these pieces together the silhouettes dance within the room of emerging energetic color enhancing the personality of the room. There’s a lot of play with color but the true meaning behind Grounded Silhouettes is within the color meaning and materials that help give each of these paintings their own character.
Pink, love, nurture and compassion
Yellow, creative, fun-loving, optimistic, friendly, and dynamic kind of individual
Purple, emotional, enlightened, feminine, imaginative, inspiring, mysterious, rare, royalty, and spiritual kind of individual
Red, extroverted, optimistic, confident, courageous, action-oriented, and physically active
Blue, enthusiastic, sympathetic, communicative, compassionate, idealistic, sincere and imaginative
Gold, wisdom, knowledge and wealth
Sea Green, health, freshness, growth, comfort and naturalness
Peach joy, and youthfulness
Brown, sense of strength and reliability
Black, elegance, wealth, restraint, and power
