Spencer Stanton

Spencer Stanton

Studio Art

Artist Biography: Spencer Stanton is a studio artist who has been interested in art since she was a little girl. She always enjoyed her art classes in school growing up, and has been drawing and painting since she was four years old. In 2016 she began her studies at Southern Arkansas University for a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She enjoys working with traditional media, focusing mainly on her painting and ceramics. Although painting and ceramic art is her favorite, she also enjoys photography and sculpture. Her paintings are often bold and colorful, and portraits and florals are recurring subjects in her work. She created a floral series that touches on economic and social struggles and finding beauty within these vexations. She also has created a series of ceramic southern folk art face jugs that are meant to be placed in your home to keep out bad energy and welcome positive vibes. She gets a lot of her inspiration from folk art, fauvism, and post-Impressionism because these styles of art usually have bold brushstrokes and are rich with color. Her current works include a series of folk art paintings depicting several significant women from the Bible. She decided to paint her series in a folk art style because folk art is “made by the people, for the people, all people”, much like the Bible.

Some of her Mardi Gras themed sculptures, including her elaborate Mardi Gras throne and her ceramic Mardi Gras King head were recently displayed at the Krewe of Artemis Grand Ball 2020 in Springfield, Louisiana along with the stage assemblage she and her professor created together. She was also hired as an independent contractor to help install the Claire Hellen Ashley exhibit for the Murphy Art District and Crystal Bridges. After graduating from Southern Arkansas University she plans to find a job with an artistic atmosphere and continue growing her portfolio of paintings and funky ceramic creations.

Artist Statement: I’ve always loved bright colors because of how boldly they stand out. My artwork is a collection of vibrant acrylic paintings and ceramic pieces. My paintings often depict florals and portraits. Painting florals is something I like because I believe flowers are nature’s way of saying beauty does still exist, no matter what this cruel world shoves at us. My latest floral series represents finding beauty in difficult economical or social situations.

My portrait paintings tend to be more stylized and less proportionally realistic like my current series of portraits depicting women from the Bible. These women, Eve, Mary, Sarah, Esther, and Jezebel, have all taught me valuable lessons that have helped me become a better woman myself. I decided to paint this series in a folk art style because “...folk art is made by the people, for the people. All people,” and I believe the Bible is the same. The Bible is God’s word to the people. It was written by people through Him for all people. Everyone might not read the Bible, but it is there for anyone who wants to.

My ceramic face jugs were inspired by old primitive southern folk art. Every face jug I create is completely different from the last. Each one has its own unique characteristics. Some have multiple eyes, others have crooked noses, and every single one has been uniquely glazed. In the 1800s, face jugs were created for spiritual and burial purposes. My face jugs were created for spiritual purposes as well, but they are unique because they are double sided. One side has an unpleasant face which is supposed to ward off bad energies, and the other side has a more pleasant face which helps welcome good vibes into the owner’s life.

Spencer's Work

Finding Beauty in Life’s Struggles
Finding Beauty in Life’s Struggles

Floral painting series

Esther
Women of the Bible

Portrait paintings of Biblical women

Southern Folk Art Face Jugs
Southern Folk Art Face Jugs

Ceramic southern folk art jugs

Floral Longhorn Skull
Floral Longhorn Skull

Acrylic longhorn skull painting

Senior Capstone Presentation of Work