ARTIST STATEMENT
This series of paper plates, created by meticulously folding and refolding canvas paper, is inspired by my grandmother’s fascination with fine china. In her home, I often dine off humble paper plates while delicate ceramic dinnerware, deemed too precious for daily life, sits untouched in a display case. These artworks respond to the tension between the practical and the precious; symbolizing a domesticity shaped by love, limitations, and the ingenuity required to make a home. My grandmother, a homemaker and self-taught wedding cake baker who ran her business from home, balanced creativity and work within the constraints of her time. Her efforts, like those of many women, were undervalued, despite the skill and dedication they required. The folded plates honor her labor and her artistry, while also reflecting the broader class and gender inequities that shaped her and my grandfather’s lives—he as a union bricklayer, she as a caregiver and entrepreneur in a society that offered little recognition for either role. Each plate stands as a testament to the resilience, resourcefulness, and beauty found in the everyday, transforming ordinary materials into objects that elevate my heritage and challenge traditional notions of value and worth.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Grayson Ticer is a Chicago-based painter and illustrator whose work explores themes of family, domesticity, and nature. A recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s Fine Arts program, her practice seeks to uncover the beauty in everyday life while examining the hidden class and gender dynamics that shape her perspective. Through her art, Ticer captures moments of quiet resilience and challenges viewers to consider the complexities of the worlds we inhabit.
© Grayson Ticer