Campbell Hogan

Carmel High School

Senior

I create art to get it out of my head. I prefer sculpting because it means I can physically hold my thoughts. The sculptures make their own shadows and take on their own personality beyond my 2D work.

I made a trio of archaic rocks in the middle of the sea. Originally, I had wanted them to be fishermen eating a seal out of their boat, but when I painted a base color on the men the brown looked so much like rocks I wanted to keep it. Instead, they became souls turned to stone or the persecuted serving their time cursed. But the seal idea disappeared when I stepped back. I saw that without the seal the trio still had so much atmosphere and weight, I didn’t want to take away from the intensity, so the seal was left out. The shape of the figures was inspired by the art-style of the movie Song of the Sea. I can credit that movie to inspiring the setting as well.

By the end I decided to name the artwork ‘The Council’. I want the perceiver to feel caught, feel anticipation, or a feeling of earnestness. The rocks look like they have something to say. They’re waiting for you to listen. Give you an omen or decide your fate. In general, the goal of my artwork is to stir curiosity. I want to make people think, I want them to storyboard what happens next as they look. I want to make art that makes people ask questions and that starts thought.

Honestly what I find challenging in art-making is writing. Sculpture is nice because you can show what you mean, but I find that lots of what I mean to say is lost when I try putting my thoughts in writing.