Artist Statement

Hey Im Rose 

Some of my earliest memories are of my feet dug deep into the mud and my hands grasping at snakes and frog, my legs scratched and swollen as I pushed through the thicket searching for nature's greatest gift, berries, and sitting with my mom in the art studio creating small sculptures. It really is funny because in 25 years, not much has changed; my passion for reptiles, nature and sculpture have only strengthened, year after year.

In 2012 I was accepted to study sculpture at the New York State School of Ceramics at Alfred University, and there my art was truly tested both mentally and physically. I struggled with the idea of creating art based on a concept. Truthfully, I wanted nothing to do with a concept. I simply wanted to immerse my cluttered mind in calm, which is exactly what happens while I sculpt. What I chose to sculpt never had a concept or meaning, it was just what I felt like creating. I decided my art would never hold a deeper meaning, until I left my life in the US behind, moved to SE Asia and fell in love with a new tropical world filled with what would become my newest passion, miniature orchid species.  

Moving to Malaysia was as if I had left this planet and stepped into another dimension. I wrote often of how I couldn't find a single thing like home, this felt like both a blessing and a curse. Amidst all of the excitement and struggle there was one thing that stood as the most beautiful above all else, the biome. The dense evergreen rainforests of SE Asia are awe inspiring. They confirm there is a force much more powerful than anything we know, yet one simple word is all I can use to describe how it made me feel - “alive”.

Upon my arrival home from Malaysia and subsequent graduation from Alfred, I had found myself in a state of confusion, unsure how to proceed with my “new” life back in the states. At some point I found myself at my first Orchid show, and from that day forward I threw myself into the life of orchids. I read every book, researched every orchid scientist and spent all of my free time tending to my rapidly growing collection of miniature orchid species. Not only was their beauty and history captivating, but they reminded me of the place I once called home, Malaysia. 

Learning about orchids was both empowering and heartbreaking.  Such incredible plants that truly have stood the test of time are now under severe threat of extinction due to factors such as deforestation and extreme poaching. Suddenly I had a concept for my art, to find a way to merge my passions for both sculpture and orchids and bring them into the homes of my clients.  With this I could demonstrate as well as educate others on the symbiotic relationships that made me feel so alive while living in Malaysia. 

Each one of my works is a living moment plucked from the rainforest. Within my larger works, which house a hand built ceramic reptile sculpture, I aim to replicate a specific ecosystem, creating the exact parameters required for both the orchids as well as the particular animal to thrive. My smaller living art works focus only on the growth and success of the orchid species housed within it. My pottery is also inspired by nature, whether that be orchids, snakes or insects, I hope to find a way to bring my love for what I call life into the homes of as many people as possible.