Gray Whale

We humans are poised between microcosm and macrocosm, containing one, sensing the other, comprehending both. - Frank Wilczek 
The focus of Grace Khalsa's work is to bring attention to natural forms and patterns that implicate vast interconnection. She is captivated by the diversity and intricacy of natural systems and she consistently find herself searching for commonalities within them. These commonalities provide her with a tangible form of navigating the intangible perceptions of existence. Her most recent body of work examines and illustrates the skeletons of various animals. In looking closely at their anatomy, she finds undeniable similarities indicating common evolution. Shared spines, ribs, teeth and vestigial structures are the signatures of millions of years of complex relationships. After sculpting the body of the animal, she then meticulously slip-trails each skeletal detail layer by layer. This process requires an understanding of how every layer, however small, will affect the greater whole. She sees clay as a material of deep time both in a geological and cultural sense. Fired clay, ceramic, is an archival material, a record keeper of human history. Taking the role of a scientific illustrator, these works are her mark in time, paying homage to the creatures they portray. She hopes to highlight the pervasive entanglement of life and honor the delicate, nuanced relationships that exist between human and non-human.