Sydney Berkeley

Name of School
Maine College of Art & Design

Expected Graduation Date:
05/27/2022

Faculty Nominator
Jessica Tomlinson

Reason for Faculty Nomination
Sydney is a strong ceramic artist who makes whimsical work. She is also an activist that is passionate about climate change, having recently led the student body to participate in a global call to march climate justice. for Currently her activism is not incorporated into her studio practice. When I mentioned this opportunity to her she was enthusiastic. I have seen her dedication to studio and her dedication to change and feel she has the capacity and track record to execute at a high level.

Please provide a brief description of your art or medium.
My work consists of colorful figurative ceramic sculptures utilizing both traditional craft materials and mixed materials, exploring empathy, childhood memory, and tactility.

Is your artwork handmade by you? If not, please explain
Yes

Are all or some of the components locally sourced?
I mix my own clay using materials from the United States. The mixed materials in my sculptures are locally sourced; the fabrics and yarn I use in some of my work have been passed down to me from my mother, while other materials such as pompoms are either needle felted by me with locally sourced wool or purchased from a local store in Maine. The pompoms seen on the birthday hats of the animals in “Freddie’s Birthday Party” were needle felted by me, while those used in “Lidelle the Clown” and “Wistette the Jester” were purchased.

Artist’s Statement:
I am a climate activist; I’ve organized walkouts and rallies to spread awareness about the rising CO2 levels in our atmosphere. This work is exhausting, and by connecting with the earth through ceramics, I can rest. I am a craftsperson, but first, being human implicates me in the numerous environmental issues our species has created. Working with clay gives me a familial relationship with the earth. My sculptures maintain tactility and explore childhood memory, and I am able to work with the earth in an intimate way. The work explores a necessary empathy in the understanding that humans are hurting the earth, and the sculptures give viewers space to breathe. Through the work, I encourage viewers to connect with their inner child, one that was born from the earth. My ceramic work does not display destruction but instead exhibits softness needed in the pursuit of climate action.

How you will use the Fellowship funds if you are chosen as the winner.
I will be able to educate the public, as well as advance and enrich my practice, by integrating herbalism and environmental education into my work. I have longed to work with healing plants in my practice, and with the reception of this grant, I would enroll in Rosemary Gladstar’s course, Science and Art of Herbalism, to gain a deeper understanding of how I can heal others. With this understanding, I will be better able to create work that reflects my knowledge of plants and their abilities. Additionally, I will become involved with and volunteer for the nonprofit Olbrich Botanical Society in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to volunteer compensation, I will develop a sustainable craft workshop and integrate my herbal knowledge. The remaining funds would be used to purchase a wheel and workbench, giving me a sturdy place to work on sculptures focusing on nonhuman ecologies and plants.