Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Voto
Hi Krista, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Krista Voto, and I am an interdisciplinary Installation Artist & Sculptor. Since I can remember, I have been doodling on the corners of my papers, paying little attention to anything else. As a child, my maternal grandmother would take me to adult painting classes with her; as I grew older, my need to create deepened. My parents noticed this and allowed me to attend outside-of-school art classes. My Father, a skilled craftsman, saw my love for artistry and recognized that skill immediately as he was raised by his Father, a prolific oil painter.
The outside-of-school classes showed me that I did have an eye for art. As I moved through my high school experience, art was always a focus, but I felt utterly discouraged from pursuing it as a career. Leading me to attend the University of New Hampshire, where I pursued a degree in biology. In my first semester, I failed my science classes but excelled in my Intro to Drawing class, where my professor pulled me aside and told me I did not belong at UNH and that I should go to New York and pursue art. This conversation would change the trajectory of my life.
I attended Ramapo College of New Jersey and realized that my artistic passion aligned most with sculpture. I received my BA in Art and an Art Education Certificate at Ramapo. From here, I taught K-12 Art for a few years. Still, I realized I needed to pursue my Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture to reach my optimum artistic potential, so when I was accepted into the Savannah College of Art and Design’s MFA program, I enrolled immediately.
After three years of hard work at SCAD, I received my MFA, and I now teach Foundational Arts as a Part-Time Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. My art has been featured all over Atlanta, at Burning Man, in New York City, and in New Jersey, and I am currently building my first permanent public sculpture for the City of Decatur.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Is anything worth it, a smooth road? I never dreamed I would be able to pursue my MFA financially. Still, when my paternal grandfather passed away I was left a bit of money and knew that of anyone he would want me to use that to follow this dream of mine. With that small sum, many scholarships, many hours of nannying and bartending, and loads of determination, I put myself through graduate school and now possess the skills to support myself. The lifestyle as an artist that I have chosen, along with my partner, who is a filmmaker, may always be a struggle, but the love for our craft makes it worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an interdisciplinary Artist who focuses mainly on sculpture and installation. My works conceptually explore natural forms, societal pressures, the human experience, protection, womanhood, and transformation.
My new collection, Uprooted Ties, focuses on parallels between naturally occurring root/vine formations and the intricate intertwining of fibrous structures. These forms create labyrinths that feel intrinsically connected to humanity. While humanity feels to be currently in complete and utter disconnect, these structures remind us of naturally occurring connections. These works combine physical root impressions taken from Crepe Myrtle trees in my neighborhood vine structures found on Banyan Trees.
These sculptures are crafted from recycled textiles, fiber, metal, and wood. They offer tactile engagement and create a sense of organic complexity. Showing the inherent ties that can be drawn between peoples as well as natural structures from all over the world. My curiosity for natural forms and using them within my art set me apart.
What matters most to you?
Artistically, what matters most is that my sculptures are not just visually striking but conceptually strong. I hope that viewers can experience my works and walk away pondering the meaning behind the them but also creating their own interpretations.
Pricing:
- Rooted Connections – 4,000
- Rooted Attachment- 5,000
- Root-Bound- 3,500
- Uprooted- 4,500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristavotoart.com
- Instagram: @kristavotoart
