Leah Ellen Kucera
Sculptress
Profile:Leah Ellen Kucera is an Upstate New York based sculptress interested in the history told by the landscape and our relationship to the earth. Working in variety of materials from handmade paper to steel, she creates artifacts, fossils, and landscapes.
She grew up in urban Iowa and is influenced by experiences exploring the landscapes of rural Iowa and Southern Colorado where she spent time with her family. After receiving her BFA in sculpture from Drake University, she moved to Rosendale, NY. Since then she has been making site specific installations and mixed media sculpture while exploring the landscape of the Mid-Hudson Valley.
Artist's Statement:
As a sculptress, I look to my natural surroundings for inspiration. Growing
up in the Midwest, I spent much of my time exploring the woods, fields, and
streams. I never outgrew the desire to explore the world around me; walking
in the woods past industrial ruins, abandoned quarries, lakes and streams,
picking up sticks and rocks, informs my work and my
materials.
Intrigued by the interaction between humans and nature, I look toward
physical traces of human history producing a sense of mystery and magic
through growth and decay. I look at the forms nature creates—webs spiders
spin, nests birds weave, mountains, hills, and valleys that rivers and
glaciers have carved. I cannot pretend to recreate these forms or compete
with the beauty they possess, but call attention to the beauty that is
already there.:
Media:
steel, handmade paper, clay, found natural objects, crochet, fabric
Contact:
E_Mail: ellen@leahellenkucera.com