Brianna McQuade

My first therapist’s name was Dr. Greco. She told me to talk to my bad thoughts; give them a name. I didn't listen. Instead, my childhood narratives take an unusual hue. I exploit humorous imagery as it juxtaposes the mental landscape I’ve existed in since childhood. It's funny when a kid fears death, right? Disjointed fingers, rotting teeth, and bones reveal peculiarities associated with my thought patterns. Speaking of bones, I watched my friend break someone’s arm once. They were arm wrestling. I thought a chair snapped. In clay, I capture stills of the internal struggle I’m entangled in. I press and pinch, managing obsession and paralysis--mirroring compulsions that infiltrate my routine. I deflect, crack a joke, make, and deflect again. Humor conveys distress through laughter—a shield of protection and distraction. Irrational fears loom, and materialize in distortion of forms—reflecting fear and embarrassment that stains my memory, illuminating absurdity found amidst chaos.
< Shop More Artists < Main Shop


The Filters you have chosen do not return any results. Please modify your filter selection.

Did you Know?

50% of your purchase directly supports the artist, and 50% of your purchase supports the operations of The Clay Studio, a nonprofit that serves 35,000 people, including 2,000 underserved school children, each year.

Learn More about supporting us

Can We Help?

Feel free to contact us Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Naimah Stith, Retail Manager and Gallery Coordinator
naimah@theclaystudio.org | 215-925-3453 x115


Customer service