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Artist Spotlight Series: Samantha Hartman

Next up we have Sam. She is a SCAD MFA candidate pursuing her degree in design for sustainability. She works with many different materials and is driven in anything that she puts her mind to.…

Next up we have Sam. She is a SCAD MFA candidate pursuing her degree in design for sustainability. She works with many different materials and is driven in anything that she puts her mind to. With her experience in visual merchandising, her last job at Michael’s corporate office, and with her current focus on sustainability, she displays her charm, positivity, whit, and creativity in many different outlets. I am so happy to have met her recently and look forward to seeing her grow in the coming years. Sam, take it away from here…

I am a traveling artist from Cleveland, OH who focuses on both environmental and mental health sustainability. I was trained under artists Dan Gunderson and Gary Boulder at Stetson University in Deland, FL for four years. Since doing so, I have done installation assistance, worked in trend research and product development, and is now pursing my MFA in Design for Sustainability at Savannah College of Art and Design with research titled: Design and Hydroclimatology: Catalyzing Civic Engagement through an Appreciation for the Personal Impacts of Climate Change and Water Cycles.

          My most recognized and notable work is my series Behind the Wall. This series of work began as a sociological study of women ages 18-24 and developed into an immersive experience highlighting the vulnerability of mundane situations that young women experience daily. I use a 3D printing pen meant for children, gifted to me by people whom never took me seriously as a woman or artist. I believe this is a symbol of vulnerability and an act of empowerment. The pieces in this series are all women I have interviewed and connected with through mutual vulnerability. Each piece is hung 3 inches off the wall with a light that gives 2 shadows, creating dimensions representing the research I participated in. Along with my ongoing research and design, I still experiment with the limits of a 3D printing pen and recyclable plastic. I primarily create portraits and figurative work.