Bryson Shosten is an interdisciplinary artist, born and raised in Sheridan Wyoming. He is currently working towards an Associates of Fine Arts and plans to attend the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming in the fall of 2024 for a Bachelors of Fine Arts.
Shosten focuses on creating visually compelling artworks, whether two or three dimensional. He has a deep fascination in creating narrative paintings that display his experiences throughout his life. When working in three dimensions he likes to create pottery that is utilitarian, whether that be mugs, cups, bowls, or planters.
Artist Bio
Artist Statement
I have always been drawn to the ideas of narration and utility within my works. Two-dimensionally working, I enjoy capturing the essence of every-day obstacles and translating them into a visual story, commonly without words. I feel as though presenting these challenges as a story can almost make them easier for myself and others to digest, by putting these mature struggles, like depression, choices, peer pressure, and anxiety into child-like stories that relate to picture books and comics that are nostalgic to my youth. Within my three-dimensional work, I am fascinated by the idea of another person using my artwork everyday because it creates an intimate bond between the user and my pieces. I enjoy producing functional pottery that is visually interesting and compositionally sound by following the principles of design, having my pots littered with details such as buttons, stamps, and textures, but also allowing for them to function as they were intended.
When creating narrative pieces I start by finding a subject or theme, whether that be seasonal depression, past experiences, or even the simplest of ideas such as a common routine or an event of daily occurrence. I find these to be the most interesting of pieces because nearly everyone can relate to them. I then sketch several compositions of the same theme and choose one to use as my final artwork. I create these works on wooden panels that I build from scratch in order to make my process longer and allow myself to fully connect to my artwork, and have the entirety of the work created by me.
When creating functional pottery I enjoy having a controlled looseness, having parts of my pots showing the versatility of the clay, while my details and finishes show my skill and intentionality. I have recently been focused on creating almost everything on a kick wheel because I feel as though I am more connected to what I am making, spinning the wheel with my foot rather than having a motor create that motion for me. I tend to create my cups, bowls, and small vases on the kick wheel as I feel that these types of pots have a more intimate connection with the user, and me creating nearly every aspect of the pot by my energy contributes to that intimacy.