For the past weeks I’ve been exchanging emails with Debra Baxter, I shamelessly told her that I feel she is my semi precious/raw stones soul mate and I’d love to go shopping with her!.. just so I can drool on every piece she picks!!
I had the pleasure on interviewing her, and her answers make me love her work even more!.. I can’t wait to see her new pieces and hopefully I’d be able to show them to you!!
OH! and did I mentioned she has a tumblr page?
INTERVIEW WITH DEBRA BAXTER
ATF-Where did you study? what was your major?
DB-My undergraduate degree is from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in
sculpture and my MFA is from Bard College also in sculpture
ATF- You are an accomplished sculptor, what inspired you to use semi precious stones and alabaster as your medium?
DB-Alabaster lends itself to skin beautifully. I love the pieces with translucent veins that appear like a capillary system. I have been intuitively drawn to rocks my
entire life. My grandma was a science teacher and always had interesting
specimens. My interest in rocks has exploded into almost an obsession in the
last few years.
ATF-I read that your are inspired by superman, can you tell me a little about it?
DB-For me, crystals seem to represent super powers and amplification. I think this
idea stems from the original Superman movie I saw when I was 6 years old. The
Fortress of Solitude (a magical palace of huge crystals) made a big impression
on me. But it wasn’t till 2008 that I started diving in full force, using crystals in
my work. I wasn’t totally sure where it was coming from until I had this flash of
the Fortress of Solitude, and it made sense to me. I rented the movie to remind
myself. No one can beat Christopher Reaves as the original Superman.
I am in awe nature and time can create such wonder. Geological change feels
to me like and a metaphor for psychological transformation. This is why I keep
using stones. My work is about transformation through making, or wearing what I
make.
ATF-Your semiprecious brass knuckles have influence so many people, what’s the inspiration behind them?
DB-The piece came out of my sculptural practice. It is about the absurd dichotomy
of a healing tool and a tool of destruction in the same object. The piece is very
much about power and female power to be specific. It was made to fit a woman’s
hand. My older work had to do with safety or saving myself. This *ucker could
save you life. And the title, though sarcastic: Crystal Brass Knuckles (I’m going to
realign your chakras mother f*****), is like poetry really.
This piece has been in many magazines and on literally hundreds of blogs. I
feel like a struck some social/pop culture cord. Since then crystals seem to have
popped up everywhere in jewelry. Either people have rediscovered their beauty,
it is just trendy, or we are returning to more earth/ geological based objects after
too many hours on Facebook.
ATF-What do you love most about designing and creating art and your own
jewelry?
DB-My art is cathartic; it is how I deal with my shit. It is more complex than that,
but mainly making art keeps me sane. Making sculpture takes a lot out of me,
due to my process and how personal my subject matter is. The jewelry I make
is an extension that though less conceptually based. It is a way of indulging
in materials I love that can be on my body. My artwork is about the body, my
jewelry is on the body.
ATF-What is your design process?
DB- My jewelry design process always starts with rocks that I am in love with. Rocks I am super excited and sometimes giddy about. Then I think about the best way it can be highlighted and still somewhat wearable. So there is some drawing and research, but the bottom line is I think with my hands.
ATF-Where would you like to see yourself in the future?
DB-Becoming a Superhero and continuing to kick ass.