Some experiences stay throughout time, laying dormant and slowly affecting us, creating a void. The skins are used as a depiction of the visceral parts of a person, allowing these experiences to pervade. Skin is permeable and is the surface to all of life’s happenings, often making it a record-holder.

Through the practice of tanning, hides are stretched, cleaned, and preserved to create leather. This act prevents decay and any further deterioration to the skin. Applying this process to self-examination, I reference the way experiences that have penetrated our lives can either be preserved or removed from our figurative skins. Penetrations in the folded pieces act as pores that allow impressions of a presence to seep into and alter our sense of self. This cleansing process serves as an attempt to objectify the true self that is a person’s identity. Exposing my ceramic skins on various racks and frames creates this vulnerable psychoanalytic act throughout the work.