Artwork copyright Joellyn Rock. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Made For A Pedestal, 1990

Joellyn Rock
American (born 1957)

Location: Mullenix Ridge Elementary, Port Orchard

About the Artwork

Made For A Pedestal is a painted ceramic vase created by artist Joellyn Rock. Feminist topics and the ways our culture represents femininity are referenced by the vase's shape, imagery, and decoration. She notes, “Women workers file past a beauty queen reigning from a high pedestal. On the back, a female executive takes her place on an elevated podium. Behind her, ceramic vessels echo the archetype, curvaceous torsos on pedestals. Floral patterns are used decoratively on the vase to reinforce the feminine content.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with South Kitsap School District.

About the Artist

Seattle-based artist Joellyn Rock creates painting, ceramics, and sculpture. Interested in the intersection of theater and visual arts, she has served as a teaching artist and collaborated on performances for children. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.