Artist Statement
Artist Statement
Blakley is a fiber sculptor that explores interactivity inspired by everyday sensory experiences. They enjoy playing with senses to create an immersive experience. Their art reignites a child-like sense of wonder in the participants. Play is at the heart of Blakley’s work- play with material, play with space, play with senses.
They strongly believe in reducing consumption by reusing material. In their studio is a large collection of potential sculpture materials. Often, they use up-cycled material like aluminum cans, found objects, plastic bags, cardboard, and second-hand fabric. It is important to find ways to reuse material that would otherwise be thrown in a landfill. Being able to interact daily with this archive of material sparks new ideas for experimentation and exploration. Blakley finds inspiration in the process of transforming ignored pieces of ‘trash’ into fine art sculptures. By using everyday items Blakley inspires the viewers to be more conscious of the beauty that many often ignore and discredit.
Education
2028 Bachelor of Fine Arts, School of Art Institute Chicago, Chicago IL with Honors
2025 (Opening November 21, 7-10pm) Faceted Fiber, Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago IL
(Opening November 7, 6-10pm) 10x10, Jackson Junge, Chicago IL
Grayscale: Picture Show, Black Box Gallery, Portland OR
Your Trash is Our Treasure, Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago IL
Art Bash, Neeman Center SAIC, Chicago IL
2024 Community Show, Sullivan Art Center, Zionsville IN
2025 Artist Talk, School of the Art Institute, Chicago IL
Metalwork masterclass, Chicago Industrial Art and Design Center, 5-week study
Studio Residency, Siena Art Institute, Siena Italy, 3-week study
Blakley is a artist born in Indiana. Currently an undergraduate at the School of Art Institute of Chicago they have exhibited their work at Sullivan Art Center in Indiana in 2024 and completed a studio residency in Siena, Italy at the Siena Art Institute in 2025. Other exhibitions include, Art Bash at SAIC, sculptural work in Your Trash is Our Treasure at the Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago IL and photography at the Black Box Gallery in Portland, Oregan. They have also participated in a group artist talk, at SAIC, for emerging highschoolers. Blakley will receive their BFA in May 2028 with distinction in Fine Arts Studio.