Anna Valenti

Anna Valenti is an artist born in Lake George, New York. Trained in ceramics, Valenti's practice brings together fiberclay, hemp, and lime. Her work builds upon weaving structures and gathering spaces to explore connectivity.

Valenti holds an MFA in Studio Art from the Maine College of Art & Design and a BA in Psychology with a Post-Bacclaureate in Ceramics from the University of Colorado Boulder. She received grants from Colorado Creative Industries and National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. Her work has been featured in publications such as Financial Times, Ceramics Monthly and Basketry+. Valenti's work is in the Betty Woodman Study Collection of the University of Colorado.

She is an Assistant Professor of Fine Arts and the Ceramics Coordinator at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Valenti lives and maintains a studio practice in Longmont, Colorado.

Artist Statement

Using fiber clay and hemplime blocks to build architectural installations, my work centers around gathering spaces that cultivate connection. I draw inspiration from structures of support associated with courtyards such as trellises, pergolas, and woven vessels. By arranging overlapping laths, I create an anchor for something to hold onto and grow. The openness in my work explores human interaction and empathy.

Fiber clay and hemplime are materials that form the basis of our environment and provide shelter for us. Utilizing hemp shiv, lime, and water, hemplime offers structural durability, insulation, and actively absorbs atmospheric CO2. I tamp each piece carefully by hand and leave it to cure and dry within formwork, resulting in environmentally friendly screened wall spaces.

The gathering spaces I create encourage reflection and contemplation and serve as a place to stay a while. My work invites viewers to gather, slow down, and linger.