Richelle Soper

I am a wanna-be inventor that creates gonna-be products. My objects and constructions stem from a humorous approach to a culture obsessed with personal care. Referencing the seemingly useless gizmos and gadgets of the cosmetic industry, I offer my own absurd solutions to society’s insecurities. Concealing, massaging, moisturizing, picking, pulling, shaving, trimming; the processes exploit fantastic possibility and trump the truth.

Carmen Neely

Since birth I have lived in a world occupied by trinkets, doo-dahs, thingies, collectibles, decorations, souvenirs, tokens, and tangible remnants of people and places.  As an only child I spent a lot of time alone, left to my own imaginative devices.  Many childhood memories consist of specific series of toys and objects in my home and the ways in which they appeared magical.  This magic included hearing sounds from inanimate materials, communicating with said materials, and forming bonds to things in ways that were only logical through my pre-adolescent perception.  Objects in my life, just like those in others’, have served as markers, placeholders, trophies, reminders, friends, symbols, warnings, and metaphors for nonverbal gestures.  What began as a childhood relationship has evolved with me throughout my growth and movement in life, manifesting in multiple arenas, including my artistic practice.