artist statement gwen charles

Artist statement:
Gwen Charles is a visual artist and educator.
The artwork of Gwen Charles forces small private thoughts to come alive in public spaces through staged improvisational outdoor performances and cultural collaborations. The works are exaggerated commentary stemming from moments from every day interactions between people using fabric costumes and sculptural props.
She feels there are connections between being an artist and an art educator- planning and creating performances is similar to creating and executing a lesson plan. An impromptu dialogue occurs between the artist and audience that are unscripted. A similar element exists when teaching; both teacher and student bring their personal history and intention to a lesson and an unplanned result may enrich both lives.