Windgate-Lamar Fellowship
2023
Vulnerability compels us to fortify our bodies and minds –a basic human quest for survival. My work emerges from exploring the intersection of armor and amulet through contemporary art jewelry. I aim to create work that transforms and empowers the wearer. Structurally, it refers to the body while bringing the interior to the surface and evoking a sense of agency.
My creative process involves examining the relationships between objects, materials, and the body. I create samples using various metalsmithing techniques such as forming, fabricating, enameling, electroforming, and casting to make arrangements. I collect ethereal objects, such as animal remains, plant matter, and glass, and combine them with metal to create tension and balance. I engage in repetitive physical processes, such as piercing and chasing, and letting the accumulation of elements inform my direction. I work intuitively until I land on a successful configuration, and then I use traditional metalsmithing processes to construct it.
Fragmentation and mending can be seen as metaphors for vulnerability and control. I solder to accentuate the seam, often by protruding or splitting apart. I intend to meticulously mend parts and convey devotional care toward the craft and concept. There is authority and power in the process which informs the meaning. Metalwork is meditative; I balance this personal satisfaction with intentionality toward ideas and imagery that resonates with others.
Balancing the impenetrable quality of metal with points of fragility and exposure, Talula Evan Baer’s work refers to the universal desire for protection and the complication of internal defense. A lifelong resident of New York’s Hudson Valley, she began her academic studies as a pre-med student interested in neuroscience. Talula finds inspiration in psychology and theories related to the subconscious; these ideas inform her notion of craft theory and praxis. Talula explores protective wearable objects across cultures and periods, investigating their potential to evoke empathy and reveal shared human experiences. Her wrought forms are reminiscent of bodily structures, intended to offer a sense of empowerment, reflection, and transformation. Talula Baer received her BFA in Metal at SUNY New Paltz. Her thesis exhibits comprehensive material research into traditional processes such as metalsmithing, enameling, casting, and electroforming toward jewelry and sculptural outcomes.
Selected works
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