Embrace
Mary Anne Yosef
Master of Architecture | Western Sydney University
“Nurturing something or someone, relies on growth, care and fostering relationships for a lifetime. Embracing the acts of protection and change.”
MATERIALS: CLAY + TIMBER
Artist Statement
‘Embrace’ visually and materially expresses the acts of nurture, protection, and transformation. The clay, soft element, represents the idea of care, holding the stronghold characterisation of the carved timber, replicating how a ‘home’ holds or shelters us, similarity to Country on the identity and land we protect. The carved timber sticks symbolise my memories and the parables of Christ that resonate with me on the idea of nurture overtime. Together, they illustrate that belonging is not static but evolves through connection, memory, and growth.
Just as home is where people feel loved, valued, and nurtured, the clay cradles the timber, reinforcing the delicate balance between holding on and allowing change. The cracks and textures in both materials symbolise resilience and adaptation, reflecting the lifelong process of fostering relationships, with oneself and others. This piece showcases the space and act of nurture, where love and care shape identity and belonging over time.
Synopsis
‘Embrace’ explores the delicate balance between nurture and change, engaging with the core themes of faith, art, and memory. These elements are embedded in the material choices of clay and wood, where the interplay between delicacy and stronghold reflects the act of giving, protecting, and letting go.
At its core, Embrace embodies the duality of strength and vulnerability. The clay, sourced from the earth, represents softness and the act of Country, serving as a foundation that holds, nurtures, and safeguards. It symbolises the exchange of gifts, the act of protection, and the willingness to letting go. The carved timber sticks, bearing the imprints of hands and tools, reflect memories, lived experiences, and spiritual resilience. Together, these materials form a dialogue between the permanent and the ephemeral, the structured and the organic.
The way clay cradles the carved wood embodies the essence of faith: a gentle yet enduring presence that protects, preserves, and revives stories. The act of carving into timber signifies artistic expression, capturing the marks we leave. Both intentional and organic: through lived experience, storytelling, and memory-making. Like an imprint left behind, memory is carried through time, shaping and reshaping our sense of belonging.
Ultimately, Embrace asks: How does nurture shape identity? How does memory persist through material? In holding onto something, what do we protect, and what do we allow to change? Through its interaction of clay and timber, Embrace becomes a vessel of connection, transformation, and the evolving nature of home and self.
