Western New Mexico University's artists-in-residence, Chelsea Boone (pictured left) and Krissy Ramirez (pictured right), are opening their exhibit, "From Clay to Metal," in Miller Library on Wednesday, June 6.Silver City, NM – Western New Mexico University's artists-in-residence, Krissy Ramirez and Chelsea Boone, are opening their exhibit, "From Clay to Metal," with a reception on Wednesday, June 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. Both graduates of WNMU's Expressive Arts Department, they will discuss their work beginning at 5:30 p.m. The exhibit will hang through Friday, June 22.

Ramirez' portion of the exhibit features sculptural clay mannequins. "I call them my headless Barbies," she said.

Ramirez struggled with body dysmorphia as a teen. "Making these unnatural-looking Barbies is a way to express how I felt about my experience and a way to raise awareness that many people go through that at some point. The bodies are headless so viewers can put their own faces on the sculptures," she said.

The clay artist made her sculptures to look as if they're crumbling. "Their brick texture symbolizing buildings and foundations. We build ourselves to match this idea of a perfect look. I want people to realize they should appreciate themselves how they are," Ramirez said.

A sculptor, Boone works in cast bronze and dabbles in metal fabrication, using steel and copper. "I like working with metal because it's high endurance while I'm very emotionally fragile," she said.

Boone's pieces in "From Clay to Metal" represent emotional energies and are an expression of the anger and sadness she felt after her mom's passing. "The past few years have been difficult for me. My mom got sick and we had a family fall out," she said. "This body of work has many spheres and spirals. Spirals are a representation of energy sources. The spheres symbolize either the heart or mind. Do you think with the heart or with your logical brain?"

Boone hopes people looking at her sculptures get a sense of what she felt during those trying times. "They'll be able to feel energized or drained from viewing my work," she said.

WNMU's artists-in-residence may use the university's full facilities and sit in on classes. Whatever art they produce at WNMU is their own to show or sell, and the university will keep a piece by each artist for its permanent collection.

"The artist-in-residence program gives us an opportunity to advance our artistic careers," Ramirez said.

Both women have recently been awarded another year as artists-in-residence and will use the coming term to build their portfolios and plan their next steps. A third artist-in-residence, ceramicist Atziry Apodaca, was accepted to WNMU's 2018-19 program.