Madeleine DuHamel
I am an environmental studies and studio arts double major. I am studying all aspects of 2D and 3D visual language while conveying my environmental research and curiosity. I commonly work towards a specific realistic representation of my subject, but recently have been delving into abstraction. The studio provides a professional space to isolate and give myself permission to investigate, collect and organize my own life experiences such as my struggles with mental health and loss while also observing the behaviors of people around me. Through formal decision-making about composition, scale, color, and the selection of non-traditional or traditional materials, I explore topics such as human loneliness, bereavement, and how the pressures of living life affect mental health.
The subjects such as death and decomposition have become a focal point in my art making and environmental interests. I have enjoyed working with bronze and have dabbled in digital photography. Throughout my final rollercoaster of a semester, I have experienced the painful loss of my hedgehog companion (conveyed in my work Contributions in the Afterlife), learned about my fiancé’s pagan views (brought to life in the Green Man), and had the opportunity to reflect on my own life goals.
