Lynne Hobaica grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She received her BFA from Syracuse University and later completed her MFA in Conceptual Ceramic Sculpture at the University of Art and Design in Linz, Austria. Lynne has exhibited work in the US and abroad and participated in national and international residencies. Lynne’s partner, Rickie, grew up in Northern California. He received a BFA in painting and ceramics from California State University, Chico. Later, he worked at several ceramic studios across the US. His work has been shown both internationally and nationally. He has participated in numerous short-term residencies all over the country. “My work is fueled by thoughts on how our awareness of death propels how we live and is inspired by the stories we experience and will be remembered by. I reveal characters pulled from personal and historical mythologies and fairytales and give them an emotion or gesture that you might connect with; perhaps you recognize an old friend, a past lover or yourself. It is through these connections and more that I am inspired to create, ultimately to share my own stories, and the stories that others have generously shared with me.” -Lynne Hobaica “My work has always come from this place of longing to better understand the world around me and my place within it. I work narratively, creating characters based on the struggle of balancing relationships, where I can navigate the landscapes of emotions experienced but not quite understood. It is in this continual self-assessment where I find the restlessness of my mind soothed, my vulnerability eased and my empathy expanding as I grow more honest with myself and loved ones. “-Rickie Barnett