Erica Ehrenbard

Digesting the experience of being alive is my ever-present artistic motivation. I transfer instincts and psychological patterns – such as obsession, avoidance, anxiety – into physical forms, paying close attention to my body as a reference and dissolving into time-consuming processes. Spending so much time with my media, and amplifying their innate characteristics, creates an entry point to develop objects that feel ‘one’ with their source. I work extensively with metals and fiber to produce work that feels as though it could have produced itself, yet, the trace of my making inevitably leaves an imprint of consciousness.

I refer to the human figure as a primary source of inspiration, coupled with core mechanisms of our environment. I am particularly influenced by women’s garments of the 19th century, which manipulate the female gesture to compose beauty in a silhouette while adding tension to our stance. The process of growth within the natural world further offers powerful configurations of mass, reflecting an existence that is ingrained in the passage of time.