Reflections

Michaela Valli Groeblacher

“Aging is just another word for living” - Cindy Joseph

The essential psychological and spiritual aspects of a humans’ vulnerability vs. strength interest me primarily. The faces and bodies of older people depict both characteristics while exuding the beauty of experience.

Born a nature-loving girl, I spent the formative years of my life with the “best grandmother in the world”, who was at the time, a small, stooped-over woman with a bright mind, the softest skin and the most able hands. Is my desire to work with old people as my models a celebration of the beautiful relationship between my grandmother and me? Or does reflecting on the past in that way prepare me for my future?

My pieces are sculpted from clay, fired in a kiln, and finally painted. Proportions are important insofar as the heads and hands are life-size to allow the viewer to connect on the level of empathy.