Artist Statement:
My current work utilizes heavily textured, abstract 2D and 3D sculptures within a
limited color pallet to depict my experience with the complexities of growing up in a
coal mining family within Appalachia. I reference a complex visual library, consisting of patterns or forms in nature alongside the formal elements of coal slurry and mountaintop removal. These works are my interpretation of the impact of the coal industry on a large-scale and micro-scale within our communities.
I create this work while meditating on what it would be like to be these objects;
disposable, aggressively formed, and infiltrated. I use abstract mixed media forms that resemble home to many species; strong, yet fragile and easily altered. My choice of shape, pattern, texture, and color are inspired by duality and complexity; focusing on the harm to our natural environments versus the ability to provide for a family that the coal often provides.
Hannah Watters (she/her) is a cross-disciplinary maker who grew up in Southern West Virginia. She received her BA from West Virginia State University and her MFA from Columbus College of Art and Design. She currently resides in Charleston, WV and works in multimedia abstraction.
Hannah uses abstract formal elements to depict her experiences and the complexities of growing up in a coal mining family, witnessing firsthand the impact of the coal industry on a large-scale and micro-scale within our communities.
Referencing a complex visual library, she utilizes patterns or forms in nature alongside the formal elements of coal slurry and mountaintop removal.
Her choices of shape, pattern, and color are inspired by duality; harm to our natural environment versus the ability to provide for a family that the coal industry provides.
For inquiries, please contact hannah.watters93@gmail.com
