Featured Student Member: Aria Kingsley
Aria Kingsley, Born 2003, is a Furniture Maker/Glass Artist from Canton, CT. Currently residing in Rochester, NY, they are pursuing a BFA in Furniture Design and a Minor in Glass at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Aria uses her furniture to explore themes from her childhood to better understand who she wants to be as an adult. She finds adult life to be bland and drained of color, and wants to create a safe space for adults to reminisce and interact. She likes to create moving parts and texture that allows the user to be fully immersed in the object, using materials from her childhood such as colored pencils and paint, and pairing them with wood which acts as her canvas.
In Aria’s words: “Woodworking and glasswork have become something I really enjoy and I love how different the materials are. Glass is way more fast paced while woodworking requires a detailed eye and takes longer. I enjoy trying to make things look perfect in wood, but I also enjoy embracing the mistakes in glass. I am looking forward to continuing to explore wood and glass together outside of school.”
What they’re listening to right now: “I haven’t been reading or watching movies recently because I’ve been busy preparing work for my senior show, but I have been listening to a lot of music by Djo and dancing while nobody else is in the bench room.”
Who she’s looking at: “I’ve been inspired by Jon Brooks since my sophomore year of college, but recently I’ve been inspired by Jack Rabbit Studio. I really enjoy how their work has soft edges, fun colors, and the cushions look really cozy. Their chairs are the most interesting for me because they look like blown up children’s furniture.”