I am very excited to be the 2013 Judy Cheteyan Scholar at the Society for Contemporary Craft!? I recently graduated from Carnegie Mellon University where I earned a degree in Fine Art and Psychology.? The interdisciplinary nature of my education has given me the ability to approach art from multiple perspectives.?
My own artwork is where I explore the boundaries of my cultural and societal identity and ask: Can I ever truly connect with people who come from different backgrounds and cultures than my own? How far do I have to go to be accepted by others? What are the parameters of my culture? When am I, a frequent member of the dominant culture, considered the Other?? I work primarily as a performance artist, photographer, and sculptor.? You can view my work at www.cargocollective.com/sarahceurvorst.
?This element of communicating and establishing relationships with others through art making is something that I use in my work as an arts educator.? I have been very fortunate to teach through the Marilyn G. Rabb Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University, the House of Children and Youth in the City of Prague, and the Son-Rise Program.? I have also helped to form arts programming through internships at the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Andy Warhol Museum.? I will take the lessons I have learned from these experiences with me as I travel to Thailand to complete a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship after I finish my work at the Society for Contemporary Craft.
In all of my experiences, I have seen how art can cross over cultural, economic, and emotional boundaries and help to create communicative ties between people.
