Family Ties
About the artist
My name is Andrea Pope and I was born in China. At the age of 1 I was adopted by my forever family from Arkansas. Since the moment I knew I was adopted until now I have thought about what adoption really means. It is such a big part of who I am.
Artist Statement
Family Ties
This group of pieces is focused on the idea of adoption. There are so many outcomes when adopting a child. There may be some obstacles but that’s just part of life. The relationship between parent and child is strong no matter the differences.
The essential question I asked was “What makes adoption work or not work and what are the in between?” As an adopted child I felt I had some grasp on the concept but I wanted to make it applicable to others. To do this, I tried to focus on adoption in general as opposed to my personal story. All of my pieces are referencing international adoptions but most concepts are relatable for other adoptive families.
The title of my collection, Family Ties, represents that family is not defined only by genetics and science. Family is found where there is a bond of love. It also shows how the world can be tied together through love.
I am so thankful to be honored by Governor Asa Hutchinson for best sculpture from a piece I did last year. Although it was not for my senior portfolio class, it still tied in very well with my concentration this year. The piece will be featured below.
What are you about to see?
You are going to see some of the pieces that I have worked on this year. I have provided their titles and artist statements under each one. Enjoy!
Special Delivery
The most important compositional element in this piece is the balance between the stork and the baby. Another important part is the contrast between all the blues and the pink. This relates to my concentration because it is based around the idea that babies are delivered by storks instead of being born. I was born but i was "delivered" to my parents through the process of adoption. I don't want to revisit this piece because it is exactly how I wanted it to be.
Basket Baby's way Home
This piece was honored with the award of "BEST SCULPTURE"
Top: The message is that adopted children are connected by an invisible red thread. I put a baby with a red thread that trails around to the other side. The baby is on the side that represents China.
Middle: This is the barrier between two worlds that are brought together by love. I made it look like nature because of the diverse travel to adopt a child from China.
Bottom: This represents a family that feels as if something is missing. It is on the other side of the sculpture to show the distance that love can connect. This family is on the other side of the world from China in the US.
Lantern of Love
Originally this lantern was supposed to be hanging from a tree branch. I believe it turned out better floating over the water. This relates to my concentration because I like to see it as a lantern crossing the ocean to awaiting parents. I do not want to visit this piece again because I think it is perfect how it is.
Zodiac
An important compositional choice I had to make was whether or not the horse would have a body. Another important part is that the ears run off the page. This is to add some interest to the piece. This relates to adoption (specifically from China) because of the cycle of zodiacs. I was born the year of the horse and that is why this painting is significant to me. I do not think I will come back to this one but if I do I will do some patchwork on the background.
My Little Butterfly
An important part of this piece is the black border. I think it is important because it makes the color pop more. This relates to my concentration because this is a nick name I got from my mom. Lots of kids, adopted or not, will probably have nick names. I might revisit this piece and fill in the white space. I don't think I will do much more to the piece.
Rainbow Kids
There is a sense of movement in this piece that I feel is important to the meaning. It signifies the transition from darkness into the light. My adoption brought me out of a situation that could have gone so different than it has. I was brought out of the dark time of abandonment and into the light of God's promise of a family. I do not want to revisit this piece because I think every bit of it works together perfectly to display meaning.
Garlic Baby
I believe that there is good contrast between the colors in this piece. I also think a compositional choice I made was not having the baby in the direct center. Although this baby was not adopted, it is related to my concentration because of the bond between a mother and a child. It doesn't matter if they are not biologically related. I might come back to this piece later and add more detail in the jackets and the hair.
Dominance
I drew one hand and decided to have it mirrored on the other side. I also used contrast to make the hands pop out and seem more prominent. It feels like hands that are about to hold something. Based on my concentration, it would be a child. The dark and light is meant to represent the good and bad situations that may occur. Just like a Yin Yang they balance each other out.