I am Mychal-Ana N. Abbott and I am a maquette concept artist. My work is primarily in smaller figures made of plasticine on wire armatures. For my Capstone Project I chose to gain experience in this mode of art making, building the foundation for a strong portfolio. Each maquette was of my own design and varied in size, shape and character for an overall balanced series.
After many hours of art making and from enjoying hundreds of hours worth of watching movies, I came to a conclusion: as trivial as movie art might seem to some, it is actually as important as the movies themselves. No matter how fictitious or realistic, movies are art that influences cultures around the world. For me as an artist, I have found that movie making is just as much a social responsibility as it is a part of the economy. Feature films and television shows are the most modern form of story telling, since the ages of pictographs and campfire fables. Cautions must be taken in how the story is told and to whom. How the audience receives it and what they walk away with afterwards directly impacts American culture and others around the globe.
Artist Statement:
My work with polymer clay strives to evoke intrigue and unease through the uncanny, grotesque and fantastic. My aesthetic explores the boundary between discomfort and visual pleasure. I want my work to have the same blend of attraction and repulsion I feel when I see an amazing creature brought to life on the screen.
On a formal level, I strive for dynamic poses that express base human experiences. In this way, I am a relatively traditional sculptor, influenced by Rodin. On a contemporary level, my themes are strongly influenced by Brian Froud and his depictions of Cornish Folklore.
