Chandra Beadleston is a ceramic artist and art educator based in Kansas City. Her work has been in both national and international exhibitions, including the International Orton Cone Box Show in Lawrence, KS. Chandra Beadleston’s porcelain vessels take the familiar form of paper bags, transforming a mundane object into art. By choosing bags as her subject, Beadleston reflects on the versatility and adaptability of these everyday items, drawing an analogy to her experiences as a woman in modern society. Much like a paper bag, women–particularly women of color–are expected to fulfill multiple roles, adapt quickly, and be of service. The artist challenges the notion that a woman’s value is tied to her tasks or her external beauty, similar to how a bag’s worth is often judged by its appearance. Through her work, Beadleston explores the pressure to conform to societal expectations while simultaneously seeking to unlearn the idea that her worth is defined by what she provides for others. Her works have been acquired by hundreds of private collectors.