welcome to Survivor Arts, a shop dedicated to victims of domestic violence. i know firsthand the anger, resentment, shame, and humiliation felt by victims of domestic violence, the feelings of helplessness, the wondering if it’s somehow my fault. it’s a vicious cycle that is difficult to break and even more difficult to escape. it is literally a living nightmare.
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in this shop i create characters from clay, sculpting by hand. i rather fancy clay, it’s a very inspiring material with endless possibilities. each of my characters is sculpted spontaneously. there are no design plans, no molds, no sketches from which i work. i sit down with my tools (and my music) and just begin. my hands follow the natural feel and flow of the clay as they roll, stretch, pinch, squeeze and form. hours will often slip by unnoticed as i become quite lost in the process. it’s a beautiful thing, that clay.

my characters take anywhere from two days to two weeks to two months to complete. i do not rush the process but allow the characters to develop naturally. eye color, hair style, makeup, and personalities are all determined as the process progresses. no two characters will ever be alike; their features and personalities are as individual as you and i.

this shop will also house projects such as zines and ACEOs. i can often be found drawing, doodling, and jotting down thoughts and poems which will eventually make their way into various works of art. for years i have used a variety of creative mediums as part of my healing process...besides being less costly and more productive (for me, anyway) than traditional counseling/therapy, the final results are beautiful and meaningful and i am humbled and grateful to share them with the world.

thank you for taking the time to visit my shop. come back again to see what new characters and other pieces have been added!

~jean