Arts in Focus on PBS Fort Wayne is funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.

Coming up, we'll talk with ceramics sculptor Emily Whisman and balloon artist Aaron Messer.

It's all next on Arts in Focus.

Welcome to Arts in Focus.

I'm Emilie Henry.

Emily Whisman is a ceramic sculptor who received her BFA from Purdue University, Fort Wayne.

Many artists working with Clay are drawn to the medium for the ability to create functional artwork.

But Emily sees Clay differently.

She uses it as a means to tell stories by building different series of figurative sculptures.

Ceramic sculpture speaks to Emily, and the goal is for her work to say something to others.

Emily, thank you so much for having me today.

I am so interested in your journey to this point.

How did you start as an artist?

Well, I have always been interested in drawing.

When I was a kid, that was like every Christmas gift was drawing and art supplies.

And I told my parents I wanted to be an artist.

And I went to art school, and they were like, okay, she'll probably change her major.

And I started out as a photographer and painting.

That was what I was interested in.

I actually hated ceramics and the idea of ceramics.

I'd never taken a class, but it was part of my Gen Eds.

So I took my first one and then promptly changed my major.

So it was love at first sight.

Yeah.

Love at first sculpt.

Yeah, it was ceramic throwing.

So pottery throwing.

And I was really bad at it.

And that made me very competitive, so.

So you took that first ceramics class.

You were terrible at it, but you persevered.

Yeah.

When did you start to kind of get into the groove?

When did it click?

So we actually did this thing every year called cylinder Boot Camp, and you had to throw like six six inch cylinders.

I had some friends who were like upperclassmen and they would just encourage me and kind of like, be like, you should do this.

So then I just started practicing for like hours a day.

I would just come in during all my free time and just throw, throw, throw.

And then I suddenly started to get better because that's what practice does.

And now I actually teach cylinder boot camp classes.

So that's really fun.

So, okay, so you nailed the cylinders and the wheel.

When did you get into sculpture?

Sculpture, sculpting.

Yeah.

So for me, art, I love using it to tell a story to tell.

Talk about a concept.

I don't need to talk to important people, but I want to say important things is what I like to say.

So I felt that I wasn't saying much with the pots I was making, so I started adding sculptural components to my pots to tell a story.

I started the first thing I did.

I threw like a ewer, which is kind of like a pitcher.

And I made these sculptural women handles on them and I thought that was so fun and I was so impressed with myself.

So I, I just dove into sculpture.

I wanted to tell a story in that way for my senior year, for my Bachelor's of Fine Arts, I had to do a thesis project and I wanted to talk about specifically like a woman's call to be a mother or not call to be a mother.

I'm I was a returning adult student in college.

I am a woman who's married, and I was constantly asked why I didn't have children.

And I always thought, like that was like the least interesting thing about me.

So I started to think about how I could talk about this sculpture, sculpturally And I made these rabbits to kind of talk about, like I felt like people just wanted me to produce like rabbits and like my husband never got that question.

Like, nobody ever asked him why he didn't have children.

But I was constantly asked why I didn't have children.

And so I started making these figurative rabbits that really looked like a woman from some angles but were rabbit hairs and making them kind of goofy and big and, you know, very womanly in their shape.

To talk about just this, like, I think it's kind of like a midwest culture.

Yeah.

Why I didn't have children and then I got even sillier with it.

I made them like hot pink with polka dots.

And I loved it.

I loved the way it allowed me to tell a story.

I liked how big I could go, how weird I could get.

I just I just loved the medium.

And ironically, again, you know, just like me taking my first ceramics class when I would see sculptures in like art history, Id be like oh thats so boing.

And now not for me.

Yeah.

Now I'm.

That's all I want to do.

Yeah.

How important is it to you to have that social commentary and to to make it known?

It is important to me because like I said, I want to say important things.

You know, I want people to know with my series of rabbits.

That was really specifically a call to action to everyone to stop referencing women as their ability to have or not have children or their desire or their desire to have children.

So, um, yeah, I, I loved getting that.

And so when people missed that entirely, like skipped over the artist statement or something and be like, wait go back, dont ask people that, its a weird question.

Yeah.

So that I love with the new series I'm working on.

I think that series of sculptures was so heavy.

The last one I did that this one is more fun.

And so I feel I'm interested to see the reception because I don't think I'll care as much.

I'd love to see what people get from them.

Yeah.

Can you tell me kind of the logistics, the the nuts and bolts of creating one of your sculptures?

Yeah.

So I start usually with about 50 to 100 pounds of clay.

Okay, that sounds like a lot.

It does, but it comes it goes way down because I would not be lugging 100 pound sculptures around.

That's fair.

So I start out with blocks of clay and I build solid, so I build whatever I want, completely solid.

And then I, as soon as I have it perfect to everything I want, I start cutting it off in about 3 to 4 inch sections.

I hollow out until the walls are about a half inch thick, and then I do something called scoring and slipping, which is where you score and then you use a liquid clay mixture and I reattach each section and that's a pretty standard practice for a lot of ceramic sculptors.

So I had no idea.

And this whole time when you especially when you're doing the initial shape, are you working from a photo or how do you you say you creating the, the shapes of the muscle and that kind of thing.

Yeah.

That's something that you can visualize or are you looking at something?

So I do a lot of reference, but I do a lot of mixing reference because a lot of my work is pretty surrealism based, I guess.

So I kind of combine ideas for the rabbit specifically.

They were imagery of figurative women, figurative work and then actual anatomical rabbit references.

Yeah, I do a lot of searching for like veterinary books to see if I can't break it down.

Yeah, I often have to force myself to not think about the finish as an afterthought.

So I love, like, the figurative work and the movement I love, like a hidden surprise moment, like in some of my sculpture.

Well, every one of my sculptures, I try to do something that looks like it's a frozen moment in time, and that's my favorite thing to do.

And then when it comes to glazing at, I really think about what it looks and I actually do cold finishes on most of my sculptures.

Okay, describe that.

Yeah.

So because it doesn't have to be food safe, I'll use spray paint.

I'll use I use a lot of house paint is actually what I do through a spray gun and Ill mix in acrylic paint and things like that and working on not thinking of it as an afterthought.

And when it comes to people, how hard is it to get the shapes right?

I can I can only imagine trying to sculpt a face like that.

Yeah, it's it's difficult.

I've just started getting really into figurative work on like a human level.

I find, like, the mouth to be particularly challenging.

You don't realize how many different plain changes there are in a mouth but I use just a lot of reference.

I also use a mirror a lot.

I try to make none of my sculptures look like me because I don't want that to be a thing.

But that's it's a great reference, you know, you can move your mouth in the way that you can't move a photo.

Yeah, that's fascinating.

Oh, thank you.

A lot of the sculptors, potters that I talked to sort of got into the medium because they wanted to create functional art.

Yeah.

So I love that you are kind of on a different end of the spectrum and want to to tell stories.

What has art taught you about yourself?

I ask this question a lot, but I think especially because you didn't come to sculpting until college.

Really?

Yeah.

Do you feel like you've learned a lot about yourself through that outlet?

Yeah, I think I really love conceptual work in whatever form it takes, but I think with sculpture there's this moment where you realize, like an hour before you had a block of clay and then all of a sudden you have this figurative work that's realistic in some ways.

And it, it feels so interesting to just have it's not like in 2D work where it's just on the paper, it's come to life, you know, it has breath to it.

Yeah.

So I think that that is just one of the best parts.

Yeah.

How tied are you to the outcome?

Are you a process person or a finished product person?

One of my sayings that my students make fun of is that nothing is precious.

So I would say I'm probably more process driven.

I want the products because I want to tell the story.

But I do love this, the act of creating.

I think that's more valuable to me because when I am telling these stories, I really just want to think about it on my own.

You know, That's really the first part of anything I make is telling the story to myself so.

I talk to so many artists and I love when I hear a different perspective or something that makes me think, and that is absolutely what you've done today.

So thank you for your beautiful work and thanks for your time.

Thank you.

This was a lot of fun.

For more information, find em whis art on Instagram I'm joined now by balloon artist Aaron Messer.

Aaron, thank you for being here.

We've been doing this show for a long time and I have never talked to a balloon artist, so I'm very excited.

When did you get excited about balloon art?

So I was 13 years old and I went to clown school.

I didn't even know that was a real thing.

Most people dont.

I was going to a church and a person there was a clown and she was like, Oh, you'd be so good.

And, you know, like every other 13 year old, I was like, Of course I'd go to clown school.

So.

And you're right.

I will be a great clown.

Exactly.

So I went to clown school and the I learned, like, how to do my makeup, and there was like, a bit of ventriloquism and skits and all kinds of things.

And the balloons were the only thing I was good at.

I couldn't juggle.

I had no sleight of hand.

My makeup was terrible.

So the balloons kind of were my thing then I was relatively good, relatively quickly at it.

I was also kind of forced to be pretty good at it because all the other people in clown school were like elderly women, so they were like, Your hands are good.

You get up there and you do it not quite as dexterous, okay, But after clown school, I started to go to like balloon conventions, which are a thing balloon and magic conventions.

This is a brave new world.

I had no idea.

So there I met some some other people who, you know, mentored me.

And we you know, it's a place to share designs and kind of do some professional development in that area.

So and then I went to college and I was working in the Kroger Deli and that was taking up an enormous amount of time while I was in college.

And I thought, Man, I've got to be able to make money in a different way.

Like, I've got to I'm a creative guy.

Like, what can I do?

So I started like offering my services as a balloon artist.

Up until this point, it was really a labor of love, like it was all volunteerism.

When I was in clown school and a part of the clown group, and then in college, I was like, okay, how can I monetize that?

How can I make money from my art?

So I started doing balloons, offering it as a service in college.

And within a couple of months I was able to quit at the deli and it really kind of took off from there.

And does that explain why I've seen some of your art in Kroger's?

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

That's where it began.

Im looking at all these photos and like, thats a Kroger.

Yeah.

That's fantastic.

Yeah.

You mentioned that once you learn the techniques, you sort of put your own stamp on it and find your own style.

Yeah.

How in the world?

I would imagine, you know, when I'm watching somebody make a balloon dog, that all the balloon dogs are created equal.

That's not the case.

Oh, yeah.

So there are always the classic balloons, like the single balloon dog.

Like, that's the classic, Right?

Or like a single balloon sword.

Like, everybody knows those designs.

Right.

Right.

So when it comes to style, my style is more like tiny and cute.

But, like, I know other balloon artists who are like, go big or go home like that.

They like the big and bulky, like type balloons.

But I've always been more quaint and everything's in its place.

And so I have several balloon designs that, you know, I've kind of brought all of these different things together and this is how I make it.

I find myself in doing line work often where people are in line and they're like, I want this one, and then I make it, or I want this one and I make it.

So I make the same thing a lot, actually.

And sometimes I'll make a mistake that I'm like, Oh, that was cute.

So I'll adapt and I'll I'll make it that way over and over again.

So I'll make the same style balloon for a long time until I think it looks better in a different way.

Yeah.

So you mentioned that you like to keep your designs small.

Mm hmm.

But some of the stuff that I have seen that is really cool is huge.

But is.

Is it just a series of small designs?

It's a small design on a larger scale, really.

I what I've found in my art is that I sometimes become a machine.

Like it's more of a service than an art.

A lot of times, which is unfortunate.

So what I find the most joy in and where I get the most expression is when I'm able to do larger scale things and when I'm given the creative freedom to do whatever like I've done, like a skeleton playing a cello in a graveyard, all made out of balloons right.

So the cab of a semi.

Oh, yeah.

But you also do people or you do the Grinch, for example.

Bernie Sanders.

I'm looking at all of your photos.

I'm like, How in the world?

Okay, so truly, how in the world do you look at a picture of the Grinch and break down all the components you're going to need walk me through that process?

Do you sketch it first?

Do you How does that work?

Yeah.

So I'll talk about Bernie Sanders.

So I looked at Bernie Sanders and I thought, okay, he's got this style of cheek, like he's got this shape of cheek and he's got this type of chin and he's got these types of eyebrows and this type of hair.

How am I going to use the balloons to exacerbate those features?

Because those are identifying features that hes got So like a caricature, right?

Yeah.

Okay.

Right.

So you're never going to get like spot on with balloons there are artists out there who are very good at like imitating reality with balloons.

It's very difficult.

And so that's what I would do.

I would identify features that are caricature able and figure out what I would do with the balloons to kind of imitate that.

So that also leads me to to wonder, how much pressure do you feel when there's a line of people, all of whom want a design from you?

Maybe you've never even done that type of request.

Does it feel like a lot of pressure?

The pressures on For sure.

And, you know, oftentimes I'll have a line of an hour and then or an hour and a half, and I feel like I wouldn't be waiting that long for People do anything for their kids.

But yeah, the pressure's definitely on when when there's a line and that's the not so enjoyable part about the art is that it does become a service really quickly and people are just kind of expecting a balloon.

The the challenge that I find often is that people are expecting like a sword or a dog or whatever.

And so they're just like, What are we waiting for here?

But then once they get up there, they're like, Oh, that's what we waited for.

So I do get a lot of appreciation once they get to the front of the line.

Yeah, but while they're waiting in line, it can be stressful.

But the, the pressure is real and I've had to, to become really quick in my art because of that.

Yeah, but that's where a lot of my learning comes from is, is trying things that people request that I've never done before.

And you know, you can only do so much sitting in your living room and or with other balloon artists.

Something that we do is called a balloon jam where we'll all get together and we're like, This is something I've been doing or well, this is something I've tried.

And then you learn from each other.

And so there really is a lot of value in the balloon community, things you never thought you'd say, right?

So is there a sort of muscle memory that develops that you use sort of without really thinking, know how to do certain things and then you can apply those to other designs?

Yeah.

So there are, I would say, techniques.

So like there's one inch bubble, two inch bubble, three inch bubble, pinch twist, loop, twist, like all these things.

That's kind of what's going through my mind when I'm doing something new.

It's like, okay, I need to achieve this.

And I could do that with a pinch twist and a loop twist and I can like.

So that's kind of where my brain is going when I'm creating something new.

So a lot of it is though, muscle memory, especially when I'm doing line work, is like I've made a hundred thousand penguins, so I just am like, Hey, how you doing?

What's going on?

Like, my my brain is with the child at that point because my hands are just doing what they've done, you know, a million times so.

That's incredible.

Okay.

I can imagine there are countless challenges, but it seems to me that one of the challenges would probably be the logistics of making your your big pieces stand up.

Even.

I'm thinking you did a goal post for for Kroger or when you make the Bernie Sanders, for example, that's got to be more than just balloons.

Yes.

How do you make it stand up?

So there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

Like, again, the balloon art is very visual.

And so if you look at something the wrong angle, even it doesn't even look like what your you're trying to achieve.

So taking pictures at the right angle is is very important.

But like so if you're looking at like a giant balloon piece, you're seeing the balloon piece.

I'm seeing the frame like the metal conduit framework.

Underneath it or the heavy base that's keeping it from going one side or the other on the monofilament that's tying it here and here so that it stays where you want it to stay.

And are you creating all of that as well?

Oh yeah, the base and yeah, there's a lot more to it than you think.

Yeah, Aaron that's a lot.

Yeah.

So especially when it comes to balloon décor, which is something that so the small, intimate balloons are one aspect, but like the arches and columns and donuts and like things that you use larger balloons for, that all takes framework and rigging and, and, and styling outside of actually doing them.

The design.

You also have to mount it and hang it and put it on a frame or all of those things so.

What is your favorite part of creating your art?

Obviously, it's a really temporary art.

Yeah, it's not something that stays around for a long time.

So the best part of my artistry is the reaction that I get out of it.

And because it is such a child focused art, it's really the reaction of the children.

Like what I was saying when you were talking about muscle memory is like once I'm making whatever they want me to make, I'm there with them.

And it's the funny little oop and the these little things, the the reactions that I can get out of them.

And it really is an entertainment art.

Yeah.

So the most joy I get is with the interactions of the children that I'm making the balloons for.

Aaron your work is so cool.

I loved every picture I saw.

I was like, first of all, I was like, How does he do it?

But also just the creativity and and the work that must go into every piece you make.

And like you mentioned, the fact that it is so temporary makes it even more special.

So thank you for adding a little beauty to the world.

And thanks for sitting down with me.

Thanks for having me.

For more information, visit balloons by Aaron dot com Our thanks to Emily Whisman and Aaron Messer.

Be sure to join us next week for Arts in Focus.

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Thank you for watching.

And in the meantime, enjoy something beautiful Arts in Focus on PBS Fort Wayne is funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.