ARTIST STATEMENT
As a woman and mother who has helped her daughter cope with PTSD, severe anxiety and depression, I am passionate about educating others about mental health issues. The number of teen girls suffering from mental health concerns has increased by 50% since covid and that number was already high and increasing at a higher rate for girls than boys. These are not things that will just go away when they are older. These are illnesses that will impact them for life and each will learn to cope with them to varying degrees. My work aims to help the viewer get inside the head of a person who is having a panic attack, feeling depressed, or coping with grief. It is my hope that with greater empathy, as a society we can begin to ask and address the questions of what are we doing to our girls, what do we need to change and how can we help and support them?
ABOUT THE ARTIST
April Malphurs lives in Southern Minnesota, creating glass beadwork, mixed media art, and paintings at her home studio and blowing glass at Vandalia Glassworks in South Saint Paul, MN.
April’s artistic training began at Cornell University with a major in interior architecture and design followed by a master’s degree in art education at Teacher’s College Columbia University where she began to pursue sculpture as her medium of choice. During covid, April returned to working in painting and mixed media and has also begun working in fibers over the past year.
April’s studies include drawing, painting, sculpture, fibers, and glass. She has attended 5 week-long intensives at The Studio Corning Museum of Glass taught by internationally renowned artists thanks to support from 5 artist grants from the McKnight Foundation and Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council. Additionally, April was awarded 2023 and 2021 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support Grants.
April was also an artist in residence at the 2021 MN State Fair. Her blown glass installation piece, “Splash!” was awarded 1st prize at the 2nd Midwest Open at Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL.
April’s work has been shown in numerous exhibits including: Studio: Here MN State Fair; Refraction: capturing joy through glass, Hopkins Center for the Arts MN; Color Me Crazy! Vandalia Glassworks, S. St Paul; Up Close & Sculptural Minnetonka Center for the Arts MN; 2nd Midwest Open Woman Made Gallery, Chicago; Shape & Form Northfield Arts Guild MN; Healing Arts Exhibit Owatonna, MN
© April Malphurs