LAURYL GAUMER RECEIVED HER BFA IN SPATIAL ARTS FROM SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY AND IS CURRENTLY A GLASSBLOWING INSTRUCTOR AT PUBLIC GLASS IN SAN FRANSISCO. HER WORK AIMS TO DEVELOP DISCOURSE BETWEEN CULTURAL CONDITIONING, WHICH NORMALIZES DOMESTIC AND DOCILE ROLES FOR WOMEN, AND THE UNREALISTIC STANDARDS OF BEAUTY THE MEDIA PROMOTES. SHE ATTEMPTS TO MIMIC THE ROLE MEDIA PLAYS IN OUR LIVES, SUBCONSCIOUSLY CAUSING WANT TO OUTWEIGH LOGIC. IN HER (UN)WEARABLES SERIES, GAUMER DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM MEDIEVAL TORTURE DEVICES AND, USING GLASS AND METAL, CREATES CONTEMPORARY DEVICES THAT DECORATE AND POSITION THE BODY, EVEN AS IT CONFINES AND CONSTRICTS. BY CREATING PIECES THAT ARE A LITTLE TOO PAINFUL, SHE HOPES THE VIEWER WILL SEE THE ABSURDITY OF COUTURE AND DEMANDS OF THE MEDIA.


SHE SHAPES GLASS TO FIT THE BODY BY WORKING IN THE HOT SHOP WITH BLOWN FORMS AS WELL AS SLUMPING GLASS OVER MOLDS. THE GLASS IS CUT AND PIERCED BEFORE THE FABRICATED METAL CAN BE FIT INTO PLACE AND SECURED WITH CUSTOM METAL HARDWARE. HER WORK AS A BENCH JEWELER, SOLDERING AND SHAPING PRECIOUS METALS AND SETTING PRECIOUS STONES, HAS SHAPED HER ARTISTIC AESTHETIC. GAUMER FINDS PLEASURE IN DESIGNING THE OVERTLY LAVISH, ATTEMPTING TO USE LUXURY TO STIR SENSATIONS OF LONGING AND DESIRE.


HER RECENT WORK EXPLORES BREAKING SOCIAL IDEALS THROUGH DIVERSE REPRESENTATION IN A SERIES OF WEARABLE GLASS BODICES. MOSTLY COLLABORATIVE, THE WORK EXPRESSES THE EXPERIENCES OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WORKING TO REDEFINE RESTRICTIVE STANDARDS OF BEAUTY AND SEXUALITY. BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY SHE HOPES TO EXPAND THE VISUAL AESTHETIC OF THIS SERIES, AS WELL AS CREATE A MORE REALISTIC REPRESENTATION OF THE FEMALE FORM.