SQUEEKS

Have you ever found a lucky penny? Seen a flower grow through a sidewalk crack? Watch a butterfly land on your shirt, then gently flutter away? These small-but-powerful reminders of joy in everyday life are the essence I aim to capture with Squeeks.

What are Squeeks? What you see before you are hundreds of tiny, hand-sculpted polymer clay figures, each meticulously hand-painted and one-of-a-kind. Their population has grown over the past year to well over 200, and continues to expand. They are also beings of pure joy, and capable of magic.

Why are Squeeks? The inspiration for the project originated from a yearning to make tactile art, to work with my hands, and ultimately from a need for play. It all started by accident, while procrastinating on a different project I was supposed to be working on. After pursuing the impulse and following it through to create an entire village of these special critters, I feel more in-tune and aligned with what I actually want to make, which has allowed my creative practice to flourish and bloom like a garden!

How are Squeeks? My sculpting process is instinctive and loose, typically working from a single lump of clay, and allowing the form to “find itself.” Through this improvised play, I discovered shapes and forms I would not have invented on the page. This playful creativity continued though the painting process, trying out new palettes, patterns, and shape language.

The goal of Squeeks is to make people smile. They have certainly made me smile, and I hope they do the same for you