epilogue. – Julijana Ciprić

Instagram: @julicipric
Email: julijanacr@gmail.com

Julijana Ciprić is an artist who is currently completing her fourth year at the University of Waterloo as a Fine Arts Undergraduate student. While she currently resides in the city, she draws inspiration from the hidden wonder and phenomena found in natural environments. The organic elements of her pieces pay homage to these green spaces. She focuses on sustainability and the use of materials as a catalyst to honour herself, environmentalism, and acts of care.

Artist Statement

This series involves ceramic sculptures and the connection to nature through explicit visual imagery and the making process. The initial spark that brought me to create these sculptures was my fascination with mushrooms and mycelium. Mushrooms are responsible for many aspects of the life cycle across space and time. The material being of the earth heightens this connection to nature and the process is one that is meditative and grounding. Human beings have always created, and I like to connect this idea of mushrooms and mycelium to the fact that human beings have been working with clay and vessels for centuries. Through the mysterious and intricate shapes that make up my initial vessels, I will create more sculptures that play with this oneness that connects human beings and nature. These pieces will be a way for me to grapple with my anxieties over loss and how it should be looked at in a positive light. The skulls I have created and the ritual space within which I capture my pieces is also a way of honouring the end-of-life cycle. I incorporate organic elements, such as dried flowers, as they add a delicate touch to an image of dismay.

Interview Questions

What aspects of your life inspire your art?

My connection to Mother Earth is what inspires my art. I believe everyone and everything is interconnected and that the fast-paced society in which we currently live blinds us from witnessing and admiring this interconnectedness. Also, I am a very spiritual person and I yearn to create deeper connections within myself and the world around me. Infusing this energy into my work is a large reason as to why I love creating as I can connect with all sorts of individuals who have similar feelings and experiences.

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

I enjoy working with ceramics because of the grounding nature that clay holds. By working with materials that are from the earth, I find myself nurturing a deeper connection with the earth and the impact I have in this lifetime. The techniques I use to create my works are also meditative; the repetitive movements of creating coils invite a space of deep reflection and contemplation.

Where do you see yourself in the future? How do you see your art practice evolving?

I hope to one day have my own studio where I have my own pottery wheel and plenty of boxes of clay and glaze littered throughout the space. I currently do not own a wheel, but I enjoy the practice of wheel throwing as it is very meditative. I hope to continue doing commissions as well, as I enjoy working with graphite and pencil crayon.

What do you want people to know about you as an artist?

I enjoy infusing my work with mindful intent, and the process behind my sculptures is reflective of this. While some people may find coiling tedious, I find it meditative as it creates a time for me to connect with my inner creative energy and to connect to artists across space and time. Since the dawn of civilization, the vessel has been a form of artistic expression and I am honored to be able to create something that through that connection is immortal. 

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

The kindness of the professors. You can tell that they all want you to succeed and give their utmost effort in assisting you along the way. I am very thankful for my journey here at the University of Waterloo and I am eager to get out into the wider world.