Quiescent by Payton Koranek

The majority of Koranek’s ceramic figures are female. A series of faces/heads appear to grow out of the wall, while others are more fully formed busts and torsos, some with disjointed body parts or elongated necks. Natural elements like bees, moths, snails, or plants crawl across the surfaces. Many wear expressions of weariness, discontent or disbelief. 

Quiescent is a manifestation of the emotional weight of uncertainty and longing. The lived experience is full of forked paths; growth and progress are dictated by decisions of what to hold onto and when to let go. These sculptures express that pivotal moment, impeded by the notion of finality and inhabiting the tension of the in-between. 

Payton Koranek is a Texas-born artist currently residing in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is an MFA Candidate in ceramics at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where she also received her BFA in 2017. Before returning to graduate school, Koranek worked in many roles within the Coastal Bend art community, including Gallery Assistant at K Space Contemporary, Instructor at the Art Center of Corpus Christi, and Curatorial Assistant at the Art Museum of South Texas. She recently exhibited in the 24th San Angelo National Ceramic Competition and received a purchase award from the 56th Annual National Drawing & Small Sculpture Show at Del Mar College.