Artist StatementIf one could see the depth and complexity of a woman plainly on her surface, would we see beauty? Would we see their scars, if we look closely enough? I let each woman tell her story through my hands.My work is about women’s struggle to find emotional balance, which I depict using texture, expression, attitude and gesture. While every woman has strength, compassion, and an incalculable ability to endure, we also have complex roles of mother, lover, sister, friend, or wife, where our arguably weaker sex is continually called uponto put others before ourselves.Process: I hand-build each piece, crafted with a groggy clay (clay that contains grog – a granular material made from fired clay that is mixed into the clay to strengthen it.) This allows me to create large, impactful pieces. As a lover of texture, I explore every possibility – using lace, intricate mark-making, and patterns to bring depth and detail. I also enjoy incorporating “found objects,” adding unique elements to each creation.Pirri was born in Brooklyn, New York and currently lives in Chicago, IL. She has dabbled in every art form since childhood, discovering clay to be her true passion in 1996. She has won awards from the Beverly Arts Center and the Rockford Art Museum, including work published in ‘500 Figures in Clay’ V2. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including Sofa Expo in Chicago representing women's right's anniversaries with her piece titled “My Choice”, along with acquiring collectors from all over the world. She’s shown with numerous galleries in the Midwest and was currently selected to jury and curate an exhibit in the fall.