Sara Mays
MFA, Clemson University, 2019

Q: What year are you at Clemson and what is your dream job after you graduate? 
A: I’m a first-year MFA ceramic student. As far as my dream job, I’d like to be an independent artist and art teacher as well as a small-time farmer. I have not decided on what crop(s) but I think I have time to figure that out. 

Q: How would you describe your design aesthetic/ style? 
A: A huge pile of sand (any color) and a haunted Poly Pocket set. A few worms too. 

Q: What do you love most about being an artist? 
A: I think I come from the angle of learning about things through a very absurd yet serious and thoughtful play-like approach and I find that art allows me to do that creatively while also sharing and connecting with others in a meaningful way. I just think its hella fun too.
 
Q:What are your inspirations? In general and for the selected piece. 
A: So. Many. As far as artists, Eva Hesse, Mike Kelley, and Richard Tuttle are just a few of many artists I’m conceptually and visually interested in at the moment. As far other inspirations, I’m interested in nature, systems, and the human body.  For the selected share, I was inspired by core samples of earth crust and microscopic layers of the human skin.   

 Q: What piece of work or project are you most proud of and why? 
A: I’m not quite sure if I can say I’m ‘proud’ of it, but in my final semester of undergrad, I put together an installation of brightly dyed burlap squares and extruded ceramic forms that resided on a gallery floor.  It was a lot of work, physically exhausting, but was extremely satisfying during the process as well as afterwards. While it wasn’t the most conceptually thought-out piece, I felt it was an indicator to how I want to work and a big realization to what my body and the space can do.  
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Q: What are some other art related internships, demonstrations, gallery showings, or publications you have been involved with? 
A: I had three art works (a ceramic sculpture, a digital photo print, and a screen print) in the Artaxis College Collective Annual Juried Show in Rochester, NY this past summer, which was very exciting. 



See some of Sara's previous works below.