My art originates in my struggle as a queer fat woman to construct an embodied, loving representation of my body in spite of huge social pressure to hate myself because of it. Though much of my earlier work focused on representing my own fat, female body in drawing, painting and printmaking, I now mostly make figurative ceramic planters and vases depicting fat bodies. I hope this work causes the viewer to reconsider their ideas about beauty, and to build their empathy for fat people, though I am satisfied when the response is simply to stop and smell the plants.

My planters are all one-of-a-kind, hand-built using various pinch, slab, coil and carving techniques. You can find me on instagram @elisabeth.b.walden and on my website www.elisabethwalden.com to purchase or commission a fat babe planter of your very own!