Monika Stockton Maddux
Monika Stockton Maddux
Emotionally Detailed Visual Metaphors - Artist Statement
A recurring theme is my obsession. I have been unable to conceive and deliver a baby girl and a profound obsession has developed and festered. Because my family is such an important part of my life, it is natural that it is the inspiration from which I draw, and this is reflected in my work. I am a mother to four boys and have no daughters. My work mirrors intense and deep emotions, it is from these emotions that I pull, and therefore enable, an emotion from the viewer; the type of emotion which is felt instinctively; that becomes visceral yet cognitively unattainable. My content is uncomfortable and relatable. Loss and grief are important components of my work because of my personal experiences with miscarriage and death. Focused on portraying the emotions conjured through reenactment and visual conversation, I begin with the seemingly mundane, and upon further investigation, end with overwhelming sadness. This work is a progression that creates an environment where the viewer is confronted with passion and compulsion sparked by loss. I transform the viewer’s perception of their size and place, in their environment, to position them into what entering my mind would be like; An encounter within the emotionally disturbed consciousness of a mother who has lost and is obsessed with these notions.
My work is about the traumatic event of miscarriage, specifically the blood from the miscarriage. The blood that was once part of me, will never be apart from me. As time passes, I have added goodness and light (white) to the blood, to turn it pink. The more goodness I add, the lighter the pink will become, but it will never be without a tinge, a reminder, of that blood. The Pink is me: my life, my loss, my experience.
My research is into the multiple aspects of motherhood and I am investigating the obsession that develops in response to the psychological impact of loss, specifically the effects of miscarriage. To that I’ve added a study about the desire to become like my mother and the inability to do the same mother/daughter things I had anticipated. This desire developed into an obsession. I am curious about why I feel I need to produce a female offspring. I have asked myself if it stems from a maternal need that is unfulfilled by my sons, or if it was ingrained in me by my family dynamic, the environment in which I was raised. I was either naturally predisposed to nurture or I was trained, from the beginning, when I received my first doll that cared for, pretended was my own child and named her Hannah. My mother had 3 daughters and she made matching dresses for us and I couldn’t wait until I had a daughter to wear my handmade dresses. I am examining whether it is that I WANT to be like my mother or that I am EXPECTED to be like my mother.
The narratives of my work are; motherhood, loss caused by miscarriage, obsession and its manifestations, desperation, dealing with resolution and hard adoptions of reality. All the work stems from this ‘brain’. It represents all my experiences as a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife. In this space, I can create or recreate any experience I wish. It is an environment akin to a forest. It is often that you are not allowed to remove or even directly interact with the environment, however, you are encouraged to simply observe. An experience that is no less dynamic than if you were allowed to interact. Think Hiking verses Camping.
I use textiles, ready-made objects from my childhood, furniture and building materials to design and fabricate emotionally detailed visual metaphors, in the form of large sculptures, room-size installations and interactive environments. I also use digital media to document events that provoke emotional responses, then create videos of these events to share a very raw and exposed side of my work.
Artist Biography
Monika Stockton Maddux is a visionary and an artist. She was born on May 5, 1979 in Wichita, Kansas, she is the daughter of two entrepreneurs: Joseph Stockton, a brick and stone mason and Katrina Stockton, a tailor. She has two older sisters and one younger brother. Monika Maddux graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics in 2004. After graduation, Monika built a workshop, opened a gallery, got married, had kids and started a business with her husband. In 2019, Maddux completed her education with a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Sculpture from Wichita State University. Her Thesis Exhibition was MONIKAHOUSE, the transformation of a Victorian home into Monika's Life Size Dollhouse, the show was well-received and gained international recognition. Monika’s work involves themes of family, children and loss, while she creates an emotional narrative that invokes an intense response from the viewer. She lives in Wichita with her husband, artist W. Jarrod Maddux and their sons. They run No Craft Left Behind, an artist's resource and founded Creativity Preservation Society, a nonprofit that restores historical homes while hosting Master Builder Artist residencies.
CV
Academic Education:
M.F.A. Sculpture, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS. 2019.
B.F.A. Ceramics, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS. 2004.
Public Awards & Honors:
Spilt Milk Gallery. Member. Edinburgh, Scotland. 2019 – Present.
The BISON Foundation – Project Funding. 2019.
Well Garden Industries – Sponsorship. 2019.
E-Graf-X – Partnership. 2019.
Riverside Café – Partnership. 2019.
Allen Lee Screen Printing Specialists – Partnership. 2019.
Emerging Artists 2019 – 3rd Place Monetary Award. 2019.
Wichita Arts Council – Partnership Grant / Project Funding for Thesis Exhibition 2019.
Juror for Cadman Art Gallery Exhibition Candidates. 2018.
Art & Design Advocates – Travel Grant. 2018.
Academic Honors:
James & Catherine Buck Fine Art Scholarship. Wichita State University. 2015.
Wallis Endowed Scholarship. Wichita State University. 2014.
Dean's Honor Roll. Wichita State University. 2003.
Graham Scholarship Award for Ceramics. Wichita State University. 2003.
Merit Based Scholarship. Wichita State University. 2002.
Dames Endowed Scholarship. Wichita State University. 2002.
Wichita State University Potters Guild Scholarship, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN. 2002.
Academic Commendation. Wichita State University. 2002.
C.F. Paulsen Endowed Scholarship in Fine Arts. Wichita State University. 2003, 2002, 2001,2000.
Academic Organization Membership:
Wichita State University Sculpture Guild, Vice President, 2016, 2015. President, 2015. Co-President, 2014.
Wichita State University Ceramics Guild, Member, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.
Wichita State University Potters Guild, Member, 2015, 2014. President, 2004. Treasurer, 2003. Secretary, 2002.
Supplemental Education:
#workshop NAVEGATION_FOLDER, by Nestor Siré in collaboration with Claudia Pederson. School of Art, Design and Creative Industries. Wichita_State_University. Kansas. 2018.
International Sculpture Center (ISC), Member, 2017, 2015.
Artist in Residency, Women's Studio Workshop, Rosendale, NY. Summer 2003.
Workshops, Clay Nation, Wichita State University. 2004, 2002.
Workshop, Lisa Orr, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN. Summer 2002.
National Council for the Education of the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), Member: Ft. Worth, TX 1998; Kansas City, KS 2002; San Diego, CA 2003; Indianapolis, IN 2004.
Employment:
Creativity Preservation Society, Founder. 2020-Present.
No Craft Left Behind (NCLB), Visionary / Artist, Co-Owner. 2004-Present.
Wichita State University, Graduate Teaching Artist. 2016-2019.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Co-Owner, Curator. 2005-2006
Celebration Montessori School, Private School, Director, Teacher. 2004-2006
Duram Photography, Wedding Photographer. 2002.
Wichita State University, Work Study, Ceramics Department. 2002.
Sunflower Newspaper, Wichita State University Campus, Staff Photographer. 2002.
Sircoulomb Photography, Wichita, KS, Internship/Assistant Photographer. 2000-2002.
Butler Community College, Work Study, Ceramics Department. 1997-1999.
Butler Community College, Work Study, Photography Darkroom. 1999.
Published Writing:
MONIKAHOUSE, Exhibition Photo Book. October 2020.
Sometimes Babies Die, Children’s Book. March 2019.
Ceramics Monthly, “Suggestions”. September 2003.
Exhibition Activity:
Salina Biennial. Juried. Salina, KS. 2020.
Candela at The Lux, And She Did. Group. Wichita, KS. 2020.
NCLB. Living Wax Museum. Group. Wichita, KS. 2019.
MONIKAHOUSE in Riverside. MFA Thesis Exhibition. Wichita, KS. 2019.
Emerging Artists 2019, 1 photo of Sculpture, 1 video, 5 Wall Sculptures. 3rd Place. Wichita, KS.
ShiftSpace Gallery, Heavy/Metal. Group. Wichita, KS. 2018-2019.
!!!Sección A R T E [No. 18+WSU] [4,10 Gb], Offline digital exhibition in El Paquete Semanal, Cuba. 2018.
Ulrich Museum of Art. (Folder_Archive_Exhibition). Wichita, KS. 2018.
Gallery Old Town, Familial Iconoclasm in Art Perspective: The Next Generation. Group. Wichita, KS. 2018.
Henrion Gymnasium, Thesis Proposal Presentation. Wichita, KS. 2018.
Project Space, Subject | Matters. Wichita, KS. 2018.
ShiftSpace Gallery Annex, Time As Media. Wichita, KS. 2017.
Project Space, Ulrich Museum Alliance Graduate Scholarship Show. Wichita, KS. 2017.
Cadman Gallery, Women’s Work. Wichita, KS. 2017.
Commerce Street, Iron Pour. Wichita, KS. October 2016.
Reuben Saunders Gallery, Empty Bowls Invitational Exhibition, Alumni/Current Student. Wichita, KS. 2016. Project Space, 2016 Graduate Show. Wichita, KS. 2016.
Commerce Street, Wichita State University Sculpture Guild Trailer Show. Wichita, KS. 2016.
Cadman Gallery, Familial Iconoclasm in Art Perspective: The Culture Clash of the Institutional Inertia of Art in Our Family. Duet Exhibition. Wichita, KS. 2015.
Cadman Gallery, Wichita State University Sculpture Guild Exhibition. Wichita, KS. 2015.
Cadman Gallery, Empty Bowls Invitational Exhibition, Alumni. Wichita, KS. 2014.
Ulrich Museum, Empty Bowls Invitational Exhibition, Alumni. Wichita, KS. 2015.
Reuben Saunders Gallery, Empty Bowls Invitational Exhibition, Alumni/Current Student. Wichita, KS. 2016.
Shiftspace Gallery, Current Exhibition. Juried. Wichita, KS. 2014.
Kansas Oil Museum, Kafir Corn Fall Festival. El Dorado, KS. Vendor. 2006.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Mud Wrestling & Naughty Bubbles. Wichita, KS. 2006.
Art Aid Silent Auction Preview. Wichita, KS. 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, New Works. Grand Opening Duet Exhibition. Wichita, KS. 2005.
Yoco Galleries, Clay Masters of the Great Plains Exhibition. Wichita, KS. 2005.
Walnut Street Gallery, BFA Exhibition. Wichita, KS. 2004.
Rhatigan Student Center Gallery, New Work from New York Residency. Wichita, KS. 2003.
University of North Texas, Ceramics USA National. Juried. Denton, Texas. 2003.
Charlie Cummings Clay Studio, Cup: The Intimate Object II, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Juried. 2003.
The Clay Studio, Soda National, Missoula, Montana. Juried. 2003.
Dodge City Area Arts Council Annual Juried Art Exhibition. 2003, 2002.
Rhatigan Student Center Gallery, Spirit Photography Contest. Juried. Wichita, KS. 2002.
Rhatigan Student Center Gallery, Elements Competition. Juried. Wichita, KS. 2002.
Rhatigan Student Center Gallery, Elements Competition. Juried. Wichita, KS. 2001.
Rhatigan Student Center Gallery, WSU Potters Guild Members Show. Wichita, KS. Juried. 2001.
Clayton Staples Gallery, Scholarship Exhibition. Juried. Wichita, KS. 2000.
Curatorial Activity:
No Craft Left Behind, Living WAX Museum. Group. (Installation). 2019.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Mud Wrestling & Naughty Bubbles, Monika Stockton, Aaron Boyd & Jenny Boyd. (Installation Sculpture). 2007.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Random Artists Part 2. 2006.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Random Artists Part 1. 2006.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Objects of Emotion, Aaron Boyd. (Fiber). 2006.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Northwest High School Art Exhibition. (Drawing, Painting, Photography & Ceramic). 2006.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Relative Perspectives, Duram & Sircoulomb Exhibition. (Photography, Fiber, Ceramic, Glass & Sculpture). 2005.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, Just Jennifer, Noel Linder Solo Exhibition. (Painting). 2005.
Allen Lee Gallery of Fine Art, New Works, Monika Stockton & Richard Predmore. (Ceramic & Drawing). 2005.
Lectures & Presentations:
Ulrich Museum of Art, Artist Talk & Slide Presentation. 2019.
Artist Talk & Slide Presentation to Art History Students. 2017, 2018, 2019.
ICT Soup, Proposal Presentation Competition. Harvester Arts. 2018.
Mid-Program Review, Slide Presentation to Graduate Faculty. Wichita State University. 2017.
Slide Presentation of Residency in New York to Ceramics Students. Wichita State University. 2003.
Slide Presentation of current work to Staff, Residents & Interns. New Paltz, New York. 2003.
Slide Presentation of Workshop in Tennessee to Ceramics Students. Wichita State University. 2002.