These heels have been getting quite a bit of attention the past few years. I’m happy to say they are included in a show in Tuscaloosa, AL at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center featuring works from graduates of the University of Alabama’s art program.
Ali Hval: Exploring Femininity Through Ceramics, Textiles, and Installation Art
I recently received a write-up in Create! Magazine. You can find the full article here.
“What is your relationship to your medium? What draws you to it?
Ceramics strike a balance between heft and delicacy; the material itself is easily shattered, but strong enough to hold form. This feels symbolic and human, bringing another dimension to my sculptural ceramic works. The materials I combine with ceramics are ones I use and love in my everyday life. The work is proliferated with beauty supplies materials like fuzzy pom-pom hair ties, glistening rhinestones, shiny nail polish, and shimmering fabrics. My work feels like picking out an outfit in the morning, a play of textures and shine, and feels close to my usual morning routine in this regard.”
"Rainbow in Limbo" at Maharishi University
“Rainbow in Limbo” is on view now through October 17 at the Wege Center for the Arts at Maharishi University in Fairfield. Thank you to everyone who made it to the opening, and a big shoutout to @genevradaley and @metrican for making this happen! 💕✨
Inclusion in Vanderbilt University's "Celebrating American Craft 2025" Show
“Stroke of Midnight” is currently at Vanderbilt University’s Sarratt Gallery @sarrattartstudiosandgallery for “Celebrating American Craft 2025,” open from September 8 through October 31.
Faculty Research Presentations - University of Iowa
I’m excited to be talking about what I’ve been doing the past few months under the Iowa Artist Fellowship this Friday from 12:30 to 1:30pm in E125 Visual Arts Building. The lovely Rachel Cox will also be presenting during this semester’s Faculty Research Presentations. Hope to see you there! ✨🪩
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Spring 2025 Faculty Research Presentations:
Ali Hval and Rachel Cox
Friday, April 11, 12:30-1:30pm, E125 VAB
Ali Hval is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in Painting and Drawing. She has received grants from the lowa Arts Council as well as the Center of Craft, Creativity, and Design. Ali’s work involves creating ceramic and fabric sculptures that echo pieces of oversized jewelry, shoes, and other fashion items. As a 2024-25 lowa Artist Fellow, Ali has begun expanding this visual language by merging her sculptural jewelry forms with everyday domestic objects. With fellowship support, she is also developing wearable garments that allow performers to activate these pieces, engaging with immersive, mural-painted environments that further blur the boundaries between body, object, and space.
Rachel Cox is an artist, educator, and feminist with a deep commitment to crafting image-based works of art which challenge cultural and social conventions pertaining to reproduction and care. Cox’s current project, Portrait of a Woman, has been recognized with numerous awards including an lowa Arts Project Grant, a Puffin Foundation Grant, as well as the 2024 Visionary Project Award through Film Photo & Kodak, and was selected for the 2025 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, hosted and exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. Cox’s current research considers the implications of sharing works of art depicting nude femme bodies; a photographic tradition that is wrought with misogyny and objectification. In her presentation she will explain the significance of materials and craft as valuable tools when subverting established systems of image consumption. PLEASE NOTE: This lecture will contain images of nudity and hormone injections as well as references to miscarriage and abortion.
Inclusion in Spring 2025 Catalogue
Very excited to be a part of the “I Like Your Work Spring” 2025 catalogue, curated by Leah Triplett. 🍭🍬🍩✨ And so very glad this candy-filled lady is getting the love and attention she deserves.
My dear friend Alexis Beucler sent me this quote from artist Caroline Wayne yesterday: ‘When our own truth feels too ugly to face, often our best deflection is to cover it in confection.’
With that in mind, here’s a giant, twisted sprinkle comb for your Monday perusal. At 18 inches long, from its tiniest tooth to its wiggly handle, it’s undeniably adorbs but entirely impractical—much like trying to comb through today’s wonky political landscape. Every morning, we wake up to a fresh tangle of headlines, proposed policies, and decisions. I have already been affected by them as I know many others have. And yet, we push forward, going through our daily routines and still throwing on a cute outfit—because sometimes, dressing up and continuing to get out there is the only way to deal. 🤷🏼♀️
Expect more of these comb and hairbrush buddies to emerge over the next few months. The “sprinkles” are painted with glossy nail polish and the base is high fired stoneware with plenty of bedazzling.
Thank you Marloe Spencer and The Eagle Voice for the wonderful writeup about my exhibition at Kirkwood Community College, “Everyday Objects Become Masterpieces Of An Artist.”
“Upon entering the exhibit, visitors are greeted by a massive chain practically dripping in thousands upon thousands of aurora borealis gemstones hanging from the ceiling and snaking its way down until it begins to curl upon the floor… This chain design captures the message of the work clearly, especially when considering the labor involved in placing every tiny gem. It reminds the viewer of the chains that seem to be tightening as the rights of many go up for debate in the political arena.”
This exhibition is up for one more week.
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art Exhibition Inclusion
I am thrilled to have “Prim and Proper (Power Bracelet)” featured in “Fashionistas 2025” at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art! This group exhibition, now on view at @occcart in Santa Ana, CA, showcases art inspired by fashion’s bold theatrics—and pushing boundaries through a variety of media. Click here to see a walkthrough of the exhibition. I’m excited to have a spot by the window so the piece is able to be viewed by passersby.
From the @oooca show description:
“ABOUT FASHIONISTAS 2025:
FASHION PROVOKED AND INSPIRED ART. AN EXHIBITION WORTHY OF CELEBRATION AND CRITIQUE HIGHLIGHTING FASHION AS A SEDUCTIVE POWERHOUSE IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE FIGHTING BACK AGAINST MEDIOCRITY, CONVENTIONAL THINKING AND BAD TASTE.
With an irrepressible joie de vivre, FASHIONISTAS 2025 features fashion’s ‘street theater, inspiring artists to reach new heights of creative push-back through this captivating and wide-ranging exhibition of text, symbols, posters, placards, videos, photography, paintings, sculptures, functional objects, installations, and new media projects.”
"This Charmed Life" Open Through March
Obligatory face photo for the algorithm to hopefully land myself on your feed. 🤷🏼♀️ This big woven structure with pearlescent accents was a delight to paint, and isn’t the only mural in the space. More photos coming soon! If you missed the opening, “This Charmed Life” is up through March at Coe College. The gallery is open 4-6pm daily (minus a few days at the end of February), so come on by! 🥅🥅🥅 Thank you to everyone who did show up - I had a blast.
You can always contact me to find out if the gallery is open before heading over.