Welcome to the Tiny Room for Elephants Festival Audio Tour, presented by Love and Grit, a podcast from Visit Philadelphia that explores the authentic and diverse stories of the city.
The work you are viewing is by artist Cathey White.
This work is inspired by a series of drawings the artist created in 2020-2021 in which they drew 100 condiments. The project was an intersection of two passions, food and art! The artist chose the honey bear because it’s nostalgic, a recognizable symbol and a condiment that is used across cultures all over the world.
When asked, what does the phrase “made with love, inspired by grit” mean to your creative process, the artist responded: “You will often see the word love in my pieces…Creating and making is an expression of love on so many levels. Art is something that brings people from diverse backgrounds together. For a moment people forget everything going on and just see and explore and enjoy.
As children..we’re all artists and so free, just taking to a blank slate with no hesitation. As I grow older, I try to get back to that place when I’m creating and it certainly takes grit. You have to be vulnerable, tenacious, keep going when it’s tough; not giving up until you’ve given a piece your all…and it lets you know it’s complete..”