Erika Peterson (MFA 2028) is a multidisciplinary artist and self-proclaimed humor expert, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She completed her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in 2005, focused on sculpture. Shortly after college she joined the family jewelry business where she worked for 18 years, specializing in hand fabrication and design for production. Erika primarily works sculpturally, often in cast or fabricated metals and ceramic, but will utilize any readily available materials. Much of her work is figurative, addressing both human and non-human forms. She investigates concepts of gender, grief, mythology and memory. She often portrays subjects that subvert historical narratives and cultural traditions. Erika’s art practice and pedagogy are holistic, she believes the primal act of crafting things with one’s hands fosters creative problem solving and self-reliance, skills that have practical applications in all areas of life.