HoboEye Art:
Jodi Rice, Philadelphia, USA

I strive to create art on a daily basis. Like most artists, I derive immeasurable pleasure from the process of production, where the act of making new work becomes a fresh chance for me to re-examine the world, and the message that I want my art to convey.

As a student at Philadelphia's University for the Arts my projects were more conceptually-based, and served as a vehicle for me to work out my feelings about human sexuality and feminism in a society where young women often receive conflicting messages concerning how to pleasure, portray, and protect their bodies.

Over the past several years I have redirected my focus. Now I prioritize craftmanship at the same level that I prioritize concept in my projects. An example of this shift is my Medusa Chandelier, a piece I recently completed with my partner Adam Wallacavage. This collaborative piece, which I sculpted and Adam wired and painted, represents six months of intense labor, an unprecendeted amount of time for me to complete one particular project.

In addition to my independent work, I also teach sculpture, ceramics, painting and drawing at a Quaker Friends School for high school students with learning differences. My students today are in very much the same position academically that I was at their age, where the conventional classroom model just didn't seem to work. As a former high school dropout, who later went on to complete my GED and then enroll in art school, I encourage my students to use art as a means to find their own way in this world, to mark their path in bold brushes of color and crooked lines, in other words, to invert paradigms, challenge external expectations placed upon them, and to make no apologies for being different. I try to impart them with the idea that art can be their savior, perhaps better than any therapists' couch they will ever sit upon. I only hope that I inspire them as much as their enthusiasm for art and their desire to hone their artistic visions inspires me every single day.

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