About Erika Jaynes

Erika Jaynes was born in Kenai, Alaska on November 6th, 1981. She briefly lived in Huntington Beach California for her kindergarten years, then got moved to Arizona where she went to public school til about 3rd grade after which she was homeschooled. Erika started going to community college at an early age (around 14-15), got her GED, started focusing on music, then switched to art, and recieved 2 Associates degrees (General Studies and Arts) from Mesa Community College, where she took her very first ceramics class. After getting 2 of her first ceramic sculptures into a Community Art Show at the Shemer Art Center in Scottsdale Arizona, Erika was seriously hooked on ceramics and art in general. She then transferred to Arizona State University where she triple majored in art, and took almost every art class available. Erika graduated cum laude with 3 Bachelor's degrees in the Fine Arts (Ceramics, Sculpture, and Drawing) in the Fall semester of 2004. Erika currently lives in hotter than hell Mesa, Arizona with 2 kick ass roommates, a dog named Peach, 3 cats Mia, Meow Mix, and Miles (we miss you Charlie!), and several half eaten eyeless cannibalistic fish.

Artist Statement

"I believe that art is a means to not only express your ideas, but to connect yourself with people that you may never meet. I try to express my emotions and ideas in a way that any viewer can react to. As long as those viewing have some sort of reaction to my art, I feel that I have established a connection with them in some way.

The majority of my art has weird surreal themes, often involving unnatural figures and mythical animals. In drawing, ceramics, sculpture, painting, whatever medium I choose to work in, I tend to focus on compositions in which animal/human figures are prominent. I will start out with a general idea and as I am progressing through the piece, I work with the changes and different ideas that grow from the initial idea. I often form strong sentimental and emotional attachments with the majority of my work, which can make it hard to part with the pieces at times.

I get my inspiration from many sources. My Alaskan Native heritage plays a significant role, as well as Native American imagery, mythology and stories in general. I am a huge fan of comic book stories and art, fantasy art, and surrealism, and I bring elements of these into my work as well. I owe my introduction into art on music, as I was a music major when I first attended college, which opened up other artistic avenues. Some of my major artistic influences are; Luis Royo, Brom, Salvador Dali, Michael Turner, Wendy and Richard Pini, Hiroaki Samura, Michael Parkes, M.C. Escher, Sorayama, Edward Burne-Jones, H.R. Giger, and William Morris, among many many others.

A lot of my 2 dimensional works are cluttered and jumbled, full of images, while some are just one lone figure. When sketching, I will usually just start out with a simple curved line and add to it until it becomes whatever its meant to be. I use the same approach when drawing or painting, letting the original idea change and grow as I progress.

With my 3-dimensional works in ceramics and sculpture, I focus mainly on figurative works as well; animal/human transformations, mythical beasts, and unnaturally formed creatures. I like to blend reality with my imagination, combining many different elements, fur, metal and wood."

Resume

Education

• B.F.A. in Sculpture - Arizona State University, Herberger College of Fine Arts, 2004
• B.F.A. in Ceramics - Arizona State University, Herberger College of Fine Arts, 2004
• B.F.A. in Drawing - Arizona State University, Herberger College of Fine Arts, 2004
• Associates in Arts - Mesa Community College, 1998
• Associates in General Studies - Mesa Community College, 1998

Exhibitions

• "A Higher Place" - Euphoria - June 14th, 2008
• "Ladies Showcase" - The Loft - June 2008
• "Stereo" - Medizona - Scottsdale - Arizona - April 2008
• "Synthetic Compound - Custom Vinyl Show" - Phoenix, AZ - April 2008
• "Spring Fete des Artes" - Group Show - Scottsdale, Arizona - March 2008
• Collaborative painting exhibited at Jerry's Artarama
• Collaborative paintings exhibited at 611 in Progress
• Exhibit of work at Art One Gallery – Scottsdale, Arizona Jan.05 - current
• “32 nd Annual Toys Designed by Artists” - Juried Group Show - Arkansas Art Center March 2005
• “Against The Grain” - Juried Group Wood Show - ASU Step Gallery, Nov. 2004
• Graduating Senior Exhibition in Sculpture and Drawing - Group Show - Gallery 100, ASU, November 2004
• Graduating Senior Exhibition in Ceramics - Group Show - Gallery 100 - ASU, November 2004
• “Collective Inferno” - Group Show - Rezurrection Gallery, May 2004
• Group show at - Gallery 1023 - First Fridays, May 2004
• Group show at - The Trunk Space, First Fridays, Feb. 2004
• “Undergraduate Juried Exhibition” - ASU - Harry Wood, Dec. 2003
• “The Stubborn Light of Night” - Rezurrection Gallery, May 2003
• “Undergraduate Juried Exhibition” - ASU - Harry Wood, Dec. 2002
• “Art of the Community” - Juried Exhibition - Shemer Art Center, May 1998
  

Experience

• Assistant Manager/Buyer - Jerry's Artarama Tempe, AZ
• Gallery Attendant/Security - Scottsdale Center for the Arts (SCA)/ Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMOCA) - 2001-03 7380 E. 2 nd Street, Scottsdale, AZ. Protecting art exhibits, and answering questions about the various art exhibits and shows at the SCA and SMOCA.