ROY presents: Hannah Zimmerman, Heather Mawson, Margaret Kammerer
Hannah Zimmerman
ROY asks
What is your name and pronouns?
Hannah Zimmerman (she/her)
How has art (whether it be your own or art in general) changed you?
As a visual language, art allows me to connect with myself and others in ways that I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Creating artwork is the way that I make sense of my lived experiences and process my emotions. By taking a self-reflective approach to my artwork, I find myself constantly re-evaluating and re-contextualizing my own identity, forming connections to moments, expectations, and objects as I go along. As an educator, I use art to relate more deeply to my students. Whether I’m sharing the work of another contemporary artist that I think the student will appreciate or talking them through the more difficult parts of the creative process, art becomes a way for me to engage in conversations that are both challenging and meaningful.
How did you start your artistic practice?
Although I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, my artistic practice, as it exists today, began to develop in the years after finishing my undergraduate studies. Without the support (and accompanying accountability) that art school provides, I found myself struggling to make work consistently. It was during this time that I had to learn how to take myself seriously as an artist and commit to what I wanted to be doing. Identifying the major goals I had for my career was an important process for me as it allowed me to focus my time and attention on smaller, more manageable steps that would eventually take me down the path I wanted to be following. Eventually, I went back to school for my MFA because I realized I needed external input, connections, and support in order to push my work forward. Throughout all of this, however, I continue to seek out and prioritize joy in my practice. If I find myself no longer enjoying the process of making, I look for ways to pivot the media or subject matter so that I can maintain a sense of ease and excitement.
When a first-time viewer sees your work, what is the first word that you hope they think when looking at it?
For someone viewing my work for the first time, I hope that they would think of the word playful. I use bright colors, bold patterns, and sometimes confusing arrangements in order to engage with personal experiences that range from being lighthearted to more serious. This sense of playfulness provides a starting point for both the viewer and myself to eventually enter into a more earnest dialogue about femininity, domesticity, and societal expectations.
Heather Mawson
ROY asks
What is your name and pronouns?
Heather Mawson (she/her/hers)
How has art (whether it be your own or art in general) changed you?
Art has made me sensitive. It makes me question how the world works, what has happened in the past and what the potential of our future can be. Art also makes me question how I experience, behave and perceive reality. Art reminds me that it is important to create beyond what currently makes sense. Art, that of my own and others, continues to change me everyday.
How did you start your artistic practice?
I started a thoughtful and considered practice while I was in school. I have always been creative but studying art showed me how an artistic practice can be one's life. I can not overemphasize the impact that professors/mentors have had on my life/art. Without their encouragement I wouldn’t have put enough trust in myself to pursue a life of art.
When a first-time viewer sees your work, what is the first word that you hope they think when looking at it?
Interesting
Margaret Kammerer
ROY asks
What is your name and pronouns?
Margaret Kammerer (she/her/hers)
How has art (whether it be your own or art in general) changed you?
Practicing art has made me more in tune with myself, others, and the world around me.
How did you start your artistic practice?
I started with crayons on printer paper and making sculptures out of tape and cardboard. I am thankful for my parents who never got mad when I used the last sheet of paper or the last roll of Scotch tape in the house, but instead just bought me more.
When a first-time viewer sees your work, what is the first word that you hope they think when looking at it?
Nice