epilogue. – Maddie Davis

Maddie Davis

Instagram: @_art_bymaddie
Email: mmdavis1808@gmail.com

Maddie Davis is a multimedia artist from Toronto, currently studying Fine Arts and History at the University of Waterloo. She works in ceramics, soft sculpture, printmaking, and painting. Drawing from both personal and shared experiences, Maddie explores themes of feminism, gender, sexuality, mental health, and the intersectionality of identity.

Artist Statement

The name of this piece is “Tegō et Reficiō,” meaning to shelter/protect and repair. I used driftwood, rocks, and shells from the beach near my house, and brought them together with crocheted yarn. While each of the individual pieces did not come from the same place, they have come together as a whole. In the same way, we pull together disparate pieces of ourselves and those around us, pieces that come from different places, to make ourselves whole. Even though these pieces do not come from the same places, we find a way to make them fit together. I was heavily inspired by artist Eva Hesse and the precarious looking nature of her works: the appearance that one small shift could bring everything down.

Artwork of yarn and tiny crocheted slings are strung between upright tree branches all lit by blue-green light.

Tegō et Reficiō, 2022, acrylic yarn, driftwood and stone, dimensions variable

Artwork of yarn and tiny crocheted slings are strung between upright tree branches all lit by blue-green light.

Tegō et Reficiō, 2022, acrylic yarn, driftwood and stone (detail)

Artwork of yarn and tiny crocheted slings are strung between upright tree branches all lit by blue-green light.

Tegō et Reficiō, 2022, acrylic yarn, driftwood and stone, dimensions variable

Artwork of yarn and tiny crocheted slings are strung between upright tree branches all lit by blue-green light.
1 / 3
Tegō et Reficiō, 2022, acrylic yarn, driftwood and stone, dimensions variable
Artwork of yarn and tiny crocheted slings are strung between upright tree branches all lit by blue-green light.
2 / 3
Tegō et Reficiō, 2022, acrylic yarn, driftwood and stone (detail)
Artwork of yarn and tiny crocheted slings are strung between upright tree branches all lit by blue-green light.
3 / 3
Tegō et Reficiō, 2022, acrylic yarn, driftwood and stone, dimensions variable

Interview Questions

What are your preferred mediums and why are you drawn to them?

I mainly work in sculpture, using wood, textile, fiber, and clay. I like the tactile nature of sculpture and being able to work with my hands in a way that two-dimensional media doesn’t allow. My first experience with sculpture was ceramics in high school and I really enjoyed it, so when I got to the University of Waterloo I tried out different types of sculpture in various courses. Lately most of my work has been in soft sculpture, using embroidery and crochet. I think part of what draws me to textile and fiber art is that many of these practices were considered “women’s work” and therefore relegated to a craft instead of art. Using these materials feels empowering, showing that these practices deserve to be considered an art form. 

What is the most significant thing you will take away from your Fine Arts studies?

I think that the most important thing I have gained is a flexibility and willingness to experiment and explore within media. Instead of sticking to the mediums and techniques that I am comfortable with, I have worked with as many as I could. In the past, when I had a plan or idea for my work and it didn’t work exactly the way I wanted it to, I would get really frustrated or give up. Through my time at UW I have learned to be more flexible in my work, have my plans be less rigid, and I be more willing and able to let my work come together in a more fluid manner.