Master of Fine Arts Thesis Defense by Alison Bergman
Advisor: Rebecca Hutchinson
Subject: Master of Thesis Defense by: Alison Bergman
Topic: Layered Explorations: Weaving a World of Wonder
Date: May 1st, 2026
Time: 12: 00 AM
Location: UMass Dartmouth CVPA Art & Design Studio
Abstract:
Through a hybrid practice that merges sculpture, painting, printmaking, fiber, and installation, I use space as a medium to create a wondrous environment, where endless points of view emerge out of my exploratory artistic process with vibrant colors, lines, and shapes. Printed clay forms, woven forms and painted and collaged walls interact, emphasizing lightness and playful possibility. My ceramics practice seeks to transform moments of imperfection into opportunities for renewal, creating sculptures where repair and readjustment become generative and where the possibility for joy can function with deliberate intention. Individual ceramic elements are assembled, rearranged, and placed in dialogue with painted walls, allowing color and pattern to move between surface and object, offering observers saturated views. This fluid relationship between wall, sculpture, and space reflects an ongoing process of improvisation and reconstruction. The space is cared for but not fussy, as I actively reject the prevalence of perfectionism in favor of acceptance and joy.
UMass Dartmouth CVPA Art & Design Studio : 458 State Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747