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artist statement

Elise Boulanger’s interdisciplinary and collaborative artistic practice revolves around clay, paint, graphics, fabric, and beadwork. Her artistic process is deeply intertwined with her curatorial work in community, her relationships with both people and media, and her identity as an Osage woman. Boulanger’s work grounds in connections to land and intergenerational teachings, while centering on the criticality of learning from and witnessing the ingenuity of other artists that are moving toward futurity. At the heart of her work is tending to what’s naturally occurring in the social and physical environment around her by unraveling outdated systems, anticipating community needs, and creating reflections of moments when thoughts and patterns align.

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artist biography

Boulanger began sewing at age 10 and working in clay and paint as her primary media at 15. During her time in Durango, CO from 2017 to 2023, Boulanger completed an undergraduate degree in Studio Art, gaining experience in a variety of media, and honing skills particularly in pottery, painting, and graphic design. At the Center of Southwest Studies Museum, alongside her roles as an intern to the inaugural Curatorial Fellow, she completed graphic design packages for several exhibitions including “Monumental Textiles & Miniature Masterpieces”, “Looking Back, Racing Ahead: 50 Years of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic and Durango Cycling Culture,” and “Ben Nighthorse Campbell: A Fighting Spirit.” Boulanger worked for Colorado Clay Studio for two years as a pottery teacher to students ranging in age from elementary to elder, alongside serving as the main studio technician making glazes, firing the kiln, and keeping up with general studio maintenance. Boulanger successfully received a $15,000 grant for the studio from the Durango Lodger’s Tax Fund in 2023, as well as several grants funding her exhibitions and stipends for artist participants at the Center of Southwest Studies.

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artistic process

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