by Caitlin Flynn

Her artwork, much like herself, is bold, soft, genuine, and captivating. She stands at 5 feet six inches, with dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Born and raised in Portland, Maine, Angela Herrick is now studying psychology and art at the University of New Hampshire. You can find her artwork displayed among others at the Waysmeet Art Gallery, which is located at 15 Mill Road in Durham, NH. The gallery is open to the public from 9 am - 9 pm every day of the week.

Angela's interest with sculpture began in high school. In order to whet her appetite, she took independent studies with her art teacher, and later took an art class at The Maine College of Art in Portland. From there, Angela continued to develop her natural talents. Angela said, "Art is something I have to do for my own sanity. The more I study it, the more I think about it."

"I was thinking of a mountain scene with a half moon setting in it, connected by a river running through the mountains."

Her recently displayed, nonceramic piece consists of small slices of wood and canvas, arranged in an abstract manner. Commenting on her own work, Angela said, "I was thinking of a mountain scene with a half moon setting in it, connected by a river running through the mountains." Although she spent, "20 hours trying to glue those damn pieces of wood together," Angela did say, "I was actually surprised by how much positive feedback I got from it at the gallery."

When Angela brought her sculpture home to show her family, she best explained her parents reaction with a blank, confused stare, and an "Oh… that's nice" response. Needless to say, Angela thanks her parents, sister, and boyfriend for the support they have given her with her art throughout the years.

It is that very sense of encouragement and profound respect they have for her works that allows her to become so engrossed in her own creations. When Angela describes the sculpture experience, she says: "I forget who I am when I'm on the wheel, I don't think about anything else. It's pretty amazing to see the transformation from a ball of clay," she slowly starts moving her hands around in the air, as if she were sitting at the wheel, caressing the imaginary lump of clay, "into something you create."