Katherine Peterson

As an artist, I like to work with materials and topics that may be unconventional. Throughout my experience at Tyler and in my personal life, I find that people tend to shy away from the subject of death. Life and death are powerful symbols that can promote healing, bring us closer to nature, and help us understand the world around us. Creating art should be a complete freedom of emotion and expression, and yet I feel that oftentimes artworks touching on the topic of death are stigmatized, forcibly concealed, or viewed as disgusting. It is my goal as an artist to try and break those perceptions. My process of creating can involve bones, fur, and other organic material. When I create a piece that centers around life and death, I feel more grounded to nature, my sense of self, and a connection to my community.