Ava Bock is a sculptural and multidisciplinary artist whose work explores abstraction through form, perception, and spatial experience. Born and raised in southern New York, Ava began her creative journey in 1997 when her father gifted her a Yashica film camera. Her early focus on portraiture deepened in 2005 with the transition to digital photography, marking the start of a long-standing interest in the human experience.
She earned an Associate of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Cape Fear Community College in 2011. She later studied composite and time-lapse photography under surrealist fine art photographer Brooke Shaden. This period sparked a shift toward abstraction and conceptual narrative.
Ava's practice evolved further as she sought more tactile forms of expression. She transitioned into three-dimensional wall reliefs and sculptural installations, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2022, with a focus on industrial materials.
Her work has been exhibited and featured in publications throughout the United States and Europe. In 2024, she relocated to Oregon, where she continues to rebuild and expand her studio practice following the loss of her former workspace during Hurricane Helene.
Statement
My work explores how both physical and psychological space shapes life and perception. Growing up in Kings County, New York, I moved through a layered urban landscape where plants, people, and architecture converged. These early experiences shaped my perspective on the world: not as opposing elements, but as interdependent systems.
I translate this through two core forms—the circle, symbolizing life’s continuity, and the square, representing the structured spaces it moves through. These forms became a visual language that allowed me to hold complexity without division.
I work primarily with bioresin, epoxies, and layered materials that embody duality. These substances are both man-made and organic and range from transparent to opaque. Through meditation and process-based layering, I reconstruct thoughts, memories, and internal states into sculptural and mixed-media works that examine containment, transition, and presence. Each piece captures a moment where perception and form coalesce—quietly but deliberately.