Statement
My works are the direct manifestation of attempts at gaining a semblance of understanding and placement within a world that I am often at odds with. This conflict is mirrored in combining cast or digitally fabricated materials with large spikes, thorns or quills. The protruding sharp points are visually graceful, beautiful, and dangerous. They are instantly offensive and defensive in how they amass upon the exterior. The points serve as the manifestations of my words and frustrations as I push out at external provocations, and as I pull back from the things that terrify me and lie beyond my ability to affect. The barb’s ability to push pull the viewer parallels my struggle in finding an equilibrium between the two extremes.
Biography
Michael Baggarly is an Associate Professor of Art at Middle Tennessee State University where he teaches Sculpture and 3-D Design. He lives and works in Murfreesboro, TN with his wife Melodie and two children Kaia and Caedryn. Michael earned a BFA (Magna Cum Laude) from Western Kentucky University in 1998 and MA and MFA degrees from University of Iowa in 2001 and 2002 as an Iowa Arts Fellowship recipient. His art has been exhibited nationally and internationally in juried and invitational exhibitions. As an artist, Michael is drawn to a range of materials. Working between cast iron, complex steel/ wood fabrications, and 3D printed mixed media provides him a range of options to address his conceptual interests. His recent work is focused toward addressing the stress and distancing that has occurred due to the pandemic.
