portfolio
about
Michelle P. Kern Artist’s statement
What is my why?
I sometimes feel an odd sense of an absence of an object which, by means of a long-cultivated internal alchemical process, then leads me to make those things that I would like to see in the world, things that wouldn't exist otherwise. My work is mainly in ceramics and mixed media, often paired with drawings and paintings. The work revolves around themes of information and communication, drawing imagery from the history of science and technology; but blended with the histories, real and imaginary, of mysticism, alchemy, and secret societies. Exploring the subconscious imagery and the intuitive connections shared by the two sets of histories, my work reflects an examination of the process of making meaning in human society, intertwined with the process of creating a personal vernacular.
Artist bio
Michelle P. Kern has lived and worked in Northern California all her life. Educated in art in the Bay Area, she has worked in art and arts education for several decades. She has a BFA and MFA in Ceramics from California College of the Arts. Kern has taught ceramics for the College of San Mateo since 2006. She has also taught for the Summer Enrichment Program for California College of the Arts, the Richmond Art Center, the California State Summer School for the arts, and for the summer program for the Crystal Springs Uplands School. Kern was the recipient of the Ernie Kim Award for Ceramics in 2002 at the Richmond Art Center.
