We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dawnice Kerchaert a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dawnice, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Art making was always my passion. It began as a child and progressed through drawing and painting of all kinds. As a career I began as a technical illustrator, and layout and design artist at advertising agencies. I didn’t know any other way to earn a living through art. It was in my third year of college that I took a required drawing class, something I didn’t think was necessary because I had plenty of experience drawing. The experience was so gratifying that I changed my path from graphic arts to fine arts moving forward. After graduating I took a job at a nonprofit art center as an Exhibition Director for a few years. Then I began teaching at the local community college. I taught graphic design courses and American Art History. Throughout my career I continued to work on my own projects. I exhibited my work locally at first then sought out opportunities in other places. My experience teaching American Art History broadened my perspective and my work evolved in a fresh direction. I began working directly with natural materials using the techniques and materials in the way that Native Americans have been doing for hundreds of years. While I do not imitate Native American objects and designs, I have been introduced to new possibilities with natural materials as well as the spirit in which they were made. I have learned that there is inspiration everywhere.

Dawnice, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My art presents a micro view of a larger environment. I collect material that is unique to an place. Tree bark and branches, and seed pods that are dry and have some preservation characteristics. When used as part of a finished piece they are examples of the world we may rush past during our daily routine. Presented as a sculpture or drawing the textures and forms can be examine and appreciated. I use coiled pine needles sewn together with sinew, or assemble branches and bark. They are abstract but also recognizable. For me the materials are both nostalgic and new. For example, as a girl I collected cantaloup seeds form store bought melons. I cleaned them and strung them into necklaces. In Duet I sewed them around the edge of the basket form. I used sunflower seeds from my garden sewed them to the edges of Duo. I collect the pine needles from Georgia where they are 8 to 10 inches long. When traveling I look for natural materials unique to that place. The environment is more important than ever. My works bring attention to the natural world.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I once believed that an artist had to fit into a particular mold. When I would say that I wanted to have a career as an artist it was assumed that it would be in advertising design, or as a portrait painter. It wasn’t until I looked at the broader art world that I saw examples of artists that were deliberately going against the grain, challenging the status quo. It was gutsy but doing that broke down walls. I found I enjoyed the new ideas and challenges. As a creative, I often have only a vague idea of what my next move will be. I can work that all out in my studio and give serendipity a chance. One example is Journey. I had used coiled pine needles on a few sculptural forms previously but wanted to test the material to see what else could be done with it. Rather than tightly coiling I made larger sweeping arcs with a lot of space within. I have incorporated this into other works with bark and branches. I’ve given myself permission to take chances.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I am a longtime lover of art history, especially American Art History. I was compelled to teach the topic because I believed people of particular society should know about the art that come out of it. It tells us who we are, reflects our history, the good and the ugly. I was interested in the Native American culture and how they connected with and created from nature. I did a lot of online searching for information regarding how they process the material. Their process includes their philosophy about the spirit of nature. One is not separate from the other. A good read that explains this is the book Braiding Sweetgrass. It was a joy to read and I learned a few things. I looked up Youtube videos and watched how they worked with other types of materials, which expanded upon the materials I use. I look up other artists who are working with natural materials to see what they are doing. Every one of them is unique in their output. Many of the people I know have donated materials from their own gardens and yards; paper like birch bark, hornets nest, driftwood, and birds nests. It is an ongoing journey of learning and creating.

Contact Info:

• Website: dawniceKsculptor.com

Image Credits
photos by D. Kerchaert