About T. Colantuono

(they/them)

The transitory fragile yet sturdy nature of clay is important to me. This malleability mirrors my own transition as transgender non-binary person. There’s an expected strength in being transgender in our current political climate that assumes excluding fragility. By using a material that grows stronger to create work that is delicate in concept or imagery; a forgiving sense of fragility is given to a medium traditionally designed to be heavy-duty. Just as a pot retains its form as it goes through the firing processes, I still have core personal characteristics remaining that must be cared for as everything else changes. During this transition I must be gentle with myself so I can present my identity to others with conviction. A pot must be both soft and callous.

T. Colantuono hails from Wilmington, North Carolina. They drew throughout childhood, and promptly forgot how to. They started working with clay and then remembered how to! They received a BFA in Studio Art at Appalachian State University while exploring the causes and effects of a changing gender identity.