About

Stacy Tompkins Artist Bio

Stacy Tompkins is an artist, writer, fashion designer, and model residing in central Florida. Her work has been exhibited nationally and abroad including China, the U.K. and France. The artist has been featured in publications such as Smokelong Quarterly, Descant, and Collection 28 (France). She is a recipient of the Liquitex Grant (2003) for her mural "Revolutionaries." Tompkins received her B.F.A. from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX.

ontogenesis Artist Statement

 Ontogenesis is a collection of pieces exploring the impact of ritual on identity and perception.  Ceremony informs our mode of dress, the food we eat and how we interact with our environment. From garments to decor, many objects exist as artifacts of ceremonial practices and attempts to make sense of the world. The use of these relics connects us to the past and present, while also outlining social groups. Early human rites involved biomimicry, plants, and animals; today our rituals include video, phones, and the internet. 

  My work examines the optics of these rites to the outsider. Through the use of symbols, biomimicry, and fashion, I create multi-media pieces probing the formation of persona through cultural influence.  I combine plant parts*, animal remnants**, rocks and minerals, natural processes and craft techniques to create devices for meaning making.

My goal is to educate the viewer on ritual practices of others to promote diversity, acceptance, and intentional living. In the United States, rarely is the individual exposed to rites outside of Christianity and the concept of the "other" becomes villified, often intentionally. I aim to push the observer to analyze their biases as well as examine the purpose behind one's actions.

*All plant parts were discarded from the parent plant naturally before being collected.

**All animal bones, fur, and skin were collected after a natural death or shed. No animals were stressed or harmed.