Hines
Sheridan Hines- Contemporary Artist
What makes you uncomfortable?
I live in a constant state of discomfort.
The feeling of discomfort is something in our society that we run away from, but throughout my work I run towards it with the aim of opening conversations primarily about common health issues as well as chronic invisible illness to promote understanding and educate my audience. I utilize many industrial materials, experiment with residue, and explore bio matter as mediums for my work. I have gravitated towards the use of resin and silicon as it provides the specific look and texture I am aiming to acquire in each piece, the uses of residue and bio matter were integrated into my work to create a more lifelike experience for the viewer but also to have a more emotional appeal. I try to use as many experimental materials as possible to push the boundary of realism in my sculptures.
As a child and throughout my adulthood hospitals and doctors' offices have become a second home. I have spent more time in a waiting room than I have in school or work. At an early age I began getting terribly ill often, from the flu to bronchitis to pneumonia, it became a part of who I was as a person. As I got older, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Endometriosis, this began to open doors to better health and understanding. As these diseases can affect many parts of the body, especially going untreated, as mine did, I have had many issues to deal with as an adult, but for me these issues are a part of who I am, and I have found that many people are very closed off about discussing common health issues as well as seeking help from doctors.
My aim with all my work is the educate and question the medical world, I have jumped from doctor to doctor trying to get the right treatment and especially as a woman it has been a hard journey. Many fear doctors, finding out what is wrong with them, and mortality. My goal with my work is to open doors for people to become more comfortable with illness, death, and our society's taboos with health.
Health is not only a part of all of us, but it is something we can all be connected to no matter who you are or what you look like, these issues can promote understanding of not only health but also the individuals who have it.
Currently my work is revolving around the themes of family trauma, domestic violence, and sexual assault. These themes have touched my life as I know they touch many others and I want to use my work to again open avenues of understanding around these topics as well as education. I grew up in a violent home and it's all I've ever really known until adulthood, now as a 25 year old woman I have regained my confidence in life as a survivor of sexual assault, medical trauma, and physical violence and aim to create work that show my story but also the stories of so many who can't speak up.
As a child I was the victim of molestation as well as assault. These memories have haunted my life and created dark spots in my brain. But I am a survivor and I choose to use my sexual assault to create power in myself but also in others.
Sexual assault much like illness and medical trauma has touched many lives and is again a very taboo subject in our society, this topic is a new exploration for me in my work but one I aim to educate and create open conversations for individuals to share their stories.
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Teachers and professors have always been more of a family to me than my own. They created a safe space for listening, creative thinking, and a productive outlet. My goal in life is to become the hero who saved my life and become an educator. A master's program would not only create a community of artists around me to further foster my artistic goals but also create an avenue for me to become a safe space for many students to come.