Talented artist- Amber Ward

I had the awesome pleasure of meeting Amber Ward two summers ago while we both were earning our MA degree from Maryland Institute College of Art. She too is an art teacher and one time had her middle school students participate in a flash mob (I'm obsessed with flash mobs).

Apart from her full time job, Amber is currently working on an intriguing body of work titled, Confessionals. If you were raised Catholic then you know the process of "going to confession." You know, when you have to climb into a dark box and tell the scary man all about your sins (nightmares from grade school, eeeek) Amber reinvents this confessional process and does so by bringing together strangers as they find her confessionals. How cool is that?

Within each Confessional, Amber places one confession, or secret, that she has kept hidden for years, months, weeks, or days for a variety of reasons. Her purpose is to begin the process of personal acceptance.

Confessionals, 2009

3″ x 2″ (dimensions variable)

Pictured: Abuser/Abused,

Confessionals, 2009

3″ x 2″ (dimensions variable)

Pictured:

Teacher/Student

Confessionals, 2009

3″ x 2″ (dimensions variable)

Pictured:

Olympian/Princess and Gypsy/Hermit

Amber said, "Since childhood, I've been very strategic about revealing or hiding aspects of my identity depending on my company. In doing this, I have silenced a more authentic version of myself. Each Confessional is a self-portrait that has documented aspects of my identity, it’s loose-ends, and the confession within."

Through Confessionals, Amber has developed relationships or connections with strangers. While each connection has been unique and cerebral, some individuals chose to communicate with her by posting messages on her blog:http://amberray.edublogs.org/.

Amber continues to explore issues surrounding self-identity and interaction. The two-dimensional images displayed below are from Ward's most recent body of work titled Postcards. While the collage work is finished, the artmaking process is not. Like Confessionals, the Postcard series (13 pieces) will be interactive. In fact, the artist hopes to utilize both Facebook and the postal service as methods of communication. Stay tuned! (I can't wait!!)

Postcards, 2010

3.5" x 5" (dimensions variable)

Pictured: Postcard 1, Postcard 7, Postcard 9

Thanks so much Amber! It's always a pleasure to look at your artwork so thank you for sharing :).