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Michelle Ettrick | Episode 648
Michelle Ettrick’s ceramic sculptures and vessels present stories and memories about her childhood, family, and her time and struggles as a homeless and disabled person. Michelle uses surface imagery to function as a diary to record people, places, and events. Drawings, Sgraffito, screen printing, and laser decals are used to create the portraits and or narratives on the surfaces to start conversation among the viewers. Weather Michelle draws flowers, animals, or people their is a story or memory on why she chose the drawing.
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Why are there stereo-types for homelessness?
I don’t know why that is the stereo-type, it might be because that is probably how it started, you know, most homeless people were either on drugs or something like that but now-a-days with this economy and everything people are losing their homes more because they can’t afford them and they don’t have the education to get better jobs to maintain. So it is happening to people who work more every day. I think that is probably why people still think that and the reason why I know is because for my thesis show I did an instillation of a homeless tent and I had conversations with people. A lot of them were like, Oh I didn’t really think of it that way. And also you have people who take advantage of the system when they are panhandling and asking for money when they don’t need it or they are just faking it and they just want to get drunk or go get high and people see that. So they make it bad for the people that really need it.
What did it feel like emotionally and what did that do to your soul?
It was like, What is going on? Why me? That was the first question. Why me? because I always, as I said, have always been a nice person. I always help other people. I didn’t steal or do anything mischievous or immoral. I feel at least that I was a good person. I was a tough kid, I did wild things but nothing bad. The other thing that I always think about is that it’s a test. God does not give you more than you can handle. And then I also just say to myself, God must think I am Wonder Woman because he gives me the toughest and hardest things ever. You know, so, I just keep going because I feel like that’s not the story that was not where I was supposed to be.
How important was the social service type things, the nets that were put in place, like the shelter that you could go to?
It was very important because when I became homeless. I wasn’t homeless and in the streets directly. Where I was I just needed to leave and I made a lot of phone calls and then I found a place that would take us in. And if they weren’t there I really don’t know what would have happened. Maybe I would have been sleeping at the beach because I was in Florida or in the woods somewhere. I don’t know, but it was very important and I was grateful they were there and I eventually found a spot for me and my kids. It was important because they talked to you about what you had to do next. You have to find something that is more sustainable. They talked about training, they talked about first time home owners. They have all kind of programs that you could join to do. They don’t just give you a place and let you run around like a fool. You have to see your social worker and tell her what are your next steps and where you are going with this. You want to improve yourself and they work with you to try and get you out there. My social worker was always saying, You are so smart. I’m like, I know! things just happen! I got injured and it is what it is and this is where I am. It was tough.
Was education key to turning your life around and getting you back on target?
I think that it was. Even when I first learned how to make everyone was saying, You have enough skills that you can make things people will buy. But I think that education and school will teach you how to express yourself how to not just learn what you are doing but pass it on to others whether you are not meaning to do that or not. You know. In a community studio other people will see something and we will discuss and talk about it. You learn and I learn from others too. I learn about nature, about pollution and garbage. People were making work about trash and I learned a lot of stuff.
Are you saying that the process of education helped to develop a new vision for life?
Yes! I hope they don’t snatch my Masters away but I think that process of education was more beneficial than the actual degree that I got. Being able to be out there learning from people, the different things that you could grab. Why was I here?How did that happen to me? You learn that from other people too. Getting an education helped me be able to express myself a lot because English as a second language was tough but I just absorbed everything I could from school.
You had incredible teachers like Charlie Cummings in your life. What significance were the the words from people like Charlie Cummings to spur you on?
Very! Because Charlie would say, In a moment where I thought, I can’t do any of that. I don’t have time for it because I have to go to work. When you are a single mother all you are thinking about is , I have to get a job to pay the bills. And he was thinking about that too but would say, I am trying to give you an opportunity where once you get a job, once you get a position, it’s something that is more permanent because you have a degree. You have more job security when you actually master something. When you get an education you can go anywhere and even if you don’t do ceramics you have a Masters that tells you you can teach. You can teach somewhere and you will always have a job. He pushed me and pushed me in a nice way. The last thing he said to me before I went the apply, because I applied on the last day it was due, He said, Listen, I am going to give you a letter of recommendation and I hope you show up over there with your application. When I got the letter saying I got in, I lost it. So people like that are important for people like me. And people like me now are good for people like , whoever is coming up that need to hear what I did or where I came from.
If you could go back to your younger self when you were first facing these challenges what is one word of advice that you would give to her?
Wow, so this is probably not what you are going to expect but I think about the only thing I would say is, everything happens for a reason. And I don’t think I would change anything because I think if it changed I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. I think that all those things that I went through, hardship and everything, is what makes me a stronger person because I am like, If I did that, I can do anything. So I think the only thing I would say is, Hold your head up, everything happens for a reason.
Contact
Instagram: @michelleettrick