Join us on Monday, October 28, at noon for a virtual Alumni Artist Talk with Terri Saulin '92. Saulin will discuss her creative journey and current projects, including Dear Believer which will be on view in the Alumni Gallery from October 5 through November 16, 2024.
Dear Believer draws inspiration from a diverse array of sources including literature, music, and contemplative solitude. The works presented are a confluence of ideas explored through recent readings and personal reflections. Having navigated the loss of both parents, the closing of a childhood home, and the recent passing of a dear friend, Saulin reflects on how these experiences have influenced her creative journey. The concept of relationships as homes—vessels of shared memory and fragments of self—deeply informs the exhibition's themes.
The title of the show, Dear Believer, is borrowed from a song by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The song’s lyrics, particularly the line “Reaching for heaven is what I’m on Earth to do,” resonate with the exhibition’s exploration of optimism and resilience. Alex Ebert’s notion of reaching as an act filled with potential and buoyancy serves as a philosophical underpinning for Saulin's work. Despite the inevitability of collapse and failure, the act of reaching forward and within offers power, courage, and profound learning.
The exhibition features a series of vessels, sculptures, and drawings that reflect Saulin's contemplation of relationships and their inherent layers. Each piece seeks to create a space of daydreaming, remembrance, and tranquility—offering a sanctuary for reflection and peace amid the complexities of life.
Terri Saulin received her MFA from the University of the Arts in 2006 and her BFA from Moore College of Art & Design in 1992. A former faculty member at Moore, she currently teaches Advanced Studio and Ceramics at The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, PA. Terri is a long-time Tiger Strikes Asteroid Philadelphia and The Clay Studio member. She also owns No. 5 Butchie Alley, a project space and creative retreat nestled in a small easement in South Philadelphia, which opens into a garden of inspiration.
Image: Terri Saulin '92, work in progress. Courtesy of the artist.
