Coleton Lunt

MFA | Studio

ARTIST BIO

I grew up in a geologic mecca, southern Utah, where the red sandstone seems to be deliberately sculpted by geologic forces. I was a hiking guide in this place for seven years, half of which I sold pots out of my car to clients, earning enough to put myself through college. During my BFA at Northern Arizona University, I developed an aesthetic for wood-fired pottery, inspired by the rocky landscapes of home. At Notre Dame, I built upon my pottery aesthetic to create sculptural forms. Now that my MFA is complete, I am indulging in creative idle time while devising my next move into the career of an artist. In the coming year, I aspire to be part of a university or public studio while my aesthetic interests continue to evolve.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My clusters of objects are about symbiotic relationships. I view them as a muddle of creatures engaging with their environment. Each organism serves a role as they give and take from their habitat. Together they create a complex system of interdependent relationships where the individual and the collective depend upon one another. At times my pieces can stand alone, but they become visually activated when placed in a group.

While engaging with the natural world, discoveries are made that stimulate philosophical notions of what it means to be alive and evolve. The act of making mirrors this in effect and revelations occur by interacting with the material. I hope my viewers gain a sense of their place within this web of life that is less hierarchical and more symbiotic or interdependent.

I seek to parallel the evolution of my aesthetic with biological evolution as both are engaged in a constant state of becoming. Choices are made by giving agency to my materials and letting their physical characteristics influence the resulting shape. It is an ongoing, evolutionary process.