Day 176 George Penaloza

 Artist Statement. I approach my clay artwork with a childlike sense of exploration and lighthearted wonder. I don’t set out to produce art on any particular subject. However, my passion for drawing even as a young boy, has led me to become a perpetual sketcher. Some of these sketches leap spontaneously off the paper, and begin to take new forms My work is rooted in humor, at times even borders on absurd. I am a strong believer that humor can elicit and foster deep cultural exploration. Many of my pieces provide a twist on every-day images or practices; some are likely to defy the boundaries of what is possible. I draw my inspiration from the geographical landscape in which I grew up, the Sonoran Desert, and my Mexican- American cultural context and history. My pieces are not intentional; they are fueled by my mood. Therefore, they tend to change and evolve over time. Working with paper clay allows my playful imagination to flow until almost the very last possible moment- the final firing. I take great pleasure in the smiles, and positive dispositions, that my work seems to evoke on others. Besides my infectious tendency to “twist” the elements that are around me, my art is steeped in pop culture, and inspired by TV shows, cartoons and comics. I have also been highly influenced by mentor, Hirotsune Tashima who pushed me to achieve beyond my own limitations. He has also helped me broaden my understanding of my own creative process. My art work tends to be very detailed; therefore a sudden glimpse into the unexpected is likely to occur. It is evident that I take humor and aesthetics serious.