Artist Statement & Bio

ARTIST STATEMENT

My passion as an artist is to create unique, meaningful work and my desire is to express through my work the deeper motivations for why we make art. I endeavor to reflect both the beauty and the pain that we all experience as humans by bringing to life some of these sentiments through my creations. I believe that art can and does shape the way we think and the way we see ourselves, each other and the world. Much of my work is inspired not only by the human experience, but by philosophy, poetry and the relationship between humans and nature. My hope is to create art that inspires and connects people, whether that be through creating pieces that speak to them on a personal level, or simply making work that reminds people of the beauty in the world, despite the oftentimes harshness of life.

I hand fabricate the majority of my pieces, though I also explore creation through the use of technology, using CAD and 3D printing to bring pieces to life, unrestricted by the limitations of handwork. No matter the process I use, I infuse each of my works with intention and the passion with which I create them. Most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind.

In photography I am able to express myself in an entirely different way, capturing through my lens that which I cannot create with my hands. It allows me to communicate with a different voice how I see the world, whether via the exploration of identity through self-portraiture or by documenting others living out their own journeys. The subtle, simple beauty that I see in the world also inspires me; the shadow cast by the morning sun or a crack in the façade of an old building, revealing its ancient skin beneath. I like to pay homage to these elements by suspending them in time through the photograph. It is an exercise of living in the present moment, noticing and appreciating the exquisiteness in seemingly ordinary things.

ARTIST BIO

Charity Navalesi Poole is a multidisciplinary artist specializing in metals, contemporary jewelry/body adornment and photography. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The University of Kansas. Her work has been twice selected for exhibition at the Society of North American Goldsmith’s (SNAG) “Exhibition in Motion” runway show, and has been exhibited at The Lied Center for Performing Arts,  The Enamelist Society and The University of Kansas Libraries. She has been awarded substantial merit scholarships and awards, and was the 2020 Women’s Jewelry Association June Herman Scholarship award recipient. Her photography has been exhibited at the University of Kansas Libraries, The University of Kansas Art & Design Gallery, the Spencer Museum of Art, and The Landon Center on Aging. They have been published in the Sink Hollow Literary Journal and the Polaris Journal of Art & Literature.