Camille Chew

Ingredients and materials can be manipulated and combined to create something new—a transformation akin to alchemy. Vegetables are chopped and brewed into soup; clay is glazed and fired into sculpture; flour, sugar, butter and eggs bake into a cake; ink is pressed into paper to make prints. These processes are acts of magic that are performed in kitchens and studios every day.

After spending all day working in the print shop, I always feel most refreshed and contented once I’ve cooked a meal and sat down to enjoy it. This past year I began bringing baked goods to class crits, to give everyone a little treat during the long hours. Baking is something I’ve always loved to do—I learned everything from my mother, a prolific chef and baker—and this gave me an excuse to get back into the hobby. Through baking I rediscovered what it is I love so much about making art. Cooking and art making are both activities I pursue for personal enjoyment, but they also each result in things that can be shared with, and hopefully enjoyed by, others.