Erika Sanada 'Cover My Eyes' @ Modern Eden

Erika Sanada will be presenting a new collection of her adorably creepy ceramic sculptures at Modern Eden Gallery July 9th. In the latest series, Sanada introduces birds of prey alongside her favored canine subjects.

"My work is about my fears and concerns states Sanada. "Growing up, I was always bullied by other kids, causing me to develop constant, uncontrollable anxiety. My parents got me a dog to help me cope; his name was Chapes, and we became very close. He made me happy and I loved him, but he had his dark side too. He would occasionally bite me, causing me to feel betrayed and sad." Sanada further explains,  "This experience led me to use a dog to represent myself in my work, having both a light and dark side.The dogs in my artwork all have unusual details - three eyes, two tails, extra legs and arms - that represent the anxieties that are still a part of me. The rats and birds present with the dogs are further extensions of myself and my fears. My parents own a restaurant, and I used to see my dog Chapes chasing rats around the outside of our building. I perceived this as a metaphor for me chasing and eventually facing my fears. Birds, like my anxieties, are difficult to contain and control, and are always a part of me and my work."

Erika Sanada 'Cover My Eyes' opens Saturday, July 9th at Modern Eden Gallery, 801 Greenwich Street, San Francisco, CA, www.moderneden.com.