Hailey Blackwelder

This work is designed to challenge common assumptions people may have of me as a woman. I accomplish this by juxtaposing the ideal to a societally non-ideal representation of myself. A corset provides a visual facade that is meant to replicate a body image, or style, that is in accordance with societal perfection of women. Though traditional corset practice is a thing of the past, as a society, we have replaced the forced image of "perfection" with expected appearances, diet practices, and proper behavior. Attractive women invisibly wear the corset of "pretty privilege.” This perception quickly calls into question their validity and capabilities in many situations as well as distorting the reality of their true competence, especially in more masculine dominated trade disciplines. My maternal grandparents both came from Cajun French heritage with my grandmother having to learn English as a second language. The perception of Cajun folk, up until the early 80's, was deplorable to say the least. Acadians, or Cajuns, were not seen as Americans. My grandmother believed it was best to cover up her "Cajun corset", which to her represented oppression and ill perception, with one that appeared more mainstream American. This was my first introduction to the detrimental effects perceptions can have on an individual's authenticity. I chose to use crystalline glaze due to its overt beauty and the history it has of artists striving to refine and control it. This effort to control is likened to the attempts of controlling societal fashion and perceptions over women's individuality and standing. As much as we try to manipulate the behavior of the crystals, they take on a life of their own and decide how to express themselves during firing; void of anyone's preconceived expectation of them. The 6 facets presented are all equally me, feminine and masculine alike. I aim to create a conversation about the standing these embodiments have. Are they all equally acceptable? Is there a common perception that the only "corset" a woman should wear should be one of beauty and grace with no masculine features beneath it? Perceptions can be changed through exposure to new experiences and this exposure is what I hope to give to the viewer.