Art Form(s)
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I am interested in collaborative work.
St. Louis Park
Artist Statement
At the core of each of my sculptures is a sense of dance: stillness in motion. My works are distinguished by their flowing and rounded forms, whether small enough to fit in your hand or large enough to fill an entire courtyard. I explore that artistic territory between the abstract and the recognizable, drawing on the work of Henri Matisse and Isamu Noguchi as major influences. I work with a variety of materials including wood, wire and textiles; however my main medium is clay, with coil-building my preferred construction technique. My favorite finishes have the sheen of raw clay with the permanence of time. In all of my sculpture my intention is to bring to bring beauty and zest to the world through my work.
Tennen’s specialty is creating site-specific artwork. She creates sculpture series and commissions as a solo artist and, since 2001, collaborates with groups to design and construct installations expressive of their community. She draws on her architectural background to ascertain and meet the aesthetic needs of her clients as well as to integrate her designs into their environments.
Tennen’s goal is to create inspiring works of art that resonate with and enhance peoples’ lives. Her intention is to bring beauty and enjoyment to the world through her work.
She works with people from age three through ninety-eight and is experienced working with English language learners of many nationalities as well as individuals with vision and hearing impairments, physical disabilities and cognitive differences. She has mentored numerous high school and college students.
As a teaching artist, her intent is pass along her love of creating art, while building community among participants. She guides the technical aspects of creation while fostering each participant’s unique expression.
Work Samples
