Artist Bio:
Originally from the Jersey Shore, Shirley Cadmus moved to the Milton, NC area for a teaching career in Danville,Va in 1970. In addition to teaching art for 40 years on the high school, community college, and university levels, Shirley has been exhibiting her works professionally and winning awards since 1970. Four years ago Miss Cadmus suffered severe respiratory episodes. Diagnosed with emphysema from having inhaled clay dust, glaze chemicals and smoke from the firings for so many years, she had to give up that beloved lifestyle. Several months later, her youngest sister gifted her a 3D pen. She had never before seen or heard of 3D pens.
Artist's Statement:
Long hours of hard work is something that non-artists rarely associate with fine Art and Craft. Consumers fail to realize that for every successful work of art there are failures, countless hours of hard physical and mental labor. Commitment to one’s art often means sacrifice. After nearly forty years of creating with clay, glazes and firings I developed emphysema and had to give it up. It was not easy to manipulate and control the 3D Pen, but since that first awkward month, I found my way, and started making pottery-inspired shapes. I use a wide variety of non toxic plant based plastic filaments I sometimes use a bowel or some such form to support the filaments until they can support themselves. An artist’s visual statement is the result of his/her own life experiences. An artist should be true to one’s self rather than bend to the whims of a fickle public. I find pleasure in works that evolve intuitively and welcome experimentation.
