Originally from the Philippines, Eirene Espinoza was born in 1980 and came to the U.S. in 1992. She earned the nickname "Espy" while in the military and now uses it as her artist's name. She uses sculpture, photography, and relief print to explore translation through mundane objects. Based in Virginia Beach, VA, she received her AAS in Interior Design from Tidewater Community College and will graduate with a BFA from Old Dominion University in 2018.
Simple and mundane objects enable me to translate thoughts by associating them with my own personal experiences and focal issues. Being an introvert, I find the use of familiar things as a bridge to the audience and offers my work something to think about. My theme is based on memory, but I also play with topics of morality and emotions such as stress, sadness, and anger. Sculpture is my main process, though I sometimes include photography and relief print to enhance the subject of recollection. Haziness and loss is conveyed through monochromatic print on mulberry sheets. Trial and error play a part on my finished work as I join and balance objects to dictate the final form. Overall, my goal is to project these simple and mundane objects which are often unseen, if not ignored, and place them into an altered environment to enhance their presence while at the same time enabling me to connect with others.
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”