Amanda Baldi

When I am asked to describe myself the first words that come to mind are innately curious with an insatiable need for creativity and connection. For me, art has always been the main tool I’ve used to better understand myself, others and the complicated, overwhelming, exciting and absurd messiness that is life. 

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At times I’ve gone months without creating, and those times are often accompanied with periods of depression and anxiety. For me, art is just as important as breathing. I am not myself if I am not a maker. Because of this, I strongly believe in the power of art - to help people heal, to act as a basis for connection and power, and to be used to overcome challenges and act as a problem-solving tool. 

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Art, play, mental health and interpersonal connection are intrinsically intertwined, and I consistently come back to these themes. The field of neuroaesthetics which discusses the entanglement of art and the brain informs my making practice and my interactions with art.

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When it comes to media, I love to explore all different kinds. There is immense value in exploring different methods of making and being bad at new materials you work with. Not everything has to be perfect, and experimentation exemplifies that. That being said, my heart lies with clay. Ceramics, to me, is truly a joyous medium. At its core - it is mud. Mud that turns to stone. It’s so unserious, and so important all at the same time. Additionally, I’ve never used a media that feels more community oriented than ceramics. Ceramics produce independent makers' work while fully offering the opportunity for collaboration on the process - sharing secrets and tricks throughout every step. It intertwines sciences and the arts, connecting all kinds of people and allowing an artist outlet.  While it shrinks with every kiln firing, the personal growth is continuous.

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My work centers on emotions, personal experience and interpersonal connection. Through art I am to understand and connect better with myself and with others. 

For you, the viewer, I hope my work can bring new levels of understanding and connection - whether through silly moments or meaningful interpretations.