April Saler

My installations explore the psychological and emotional development of artists

who have been through traumatic childhood experiences from youth to adulthood.  Early childhood development studies have shown that the failure of parents and educators to provide a proper productive environment stunts the growth and expansion of creativity. I want to discover how this extended circumstance affects adults in the arts and how this constrictive and abusive upbringing molded the artist to use certain techniques and defense mechanisms to overcome emotional turmoil and psychological damage.

Studies have also proven that children learn through the act of play, which is a safe and open atmosphere of self-exploration and progress.  My work focuses on this concept by bringing in an intuitive work method and use of found objects. To fully juxtapose the child and adult life, graffiti techniques are used to accentuate the symbol of struggle, defiance and rebellion in contrast with the seemingly free nature of being a child. The merged visual universe of youth and adulthood creates a threatening web of organic story-lines that frustrate, perplex and frequently over stimulate the viewer.