Erin Trefry makes visceral, emotionally charged sculptural paintings. At an early age, she was awarded multiple scholarships that enabled her to study at the Maryland Institute, College of Art; Parsons, Paris; and The New York Studio Program (A.I.C.A.D.). Upon graduation, Trefry returned to teach at her alma-mater (LACHSA) where she received a series of grants to design and implement innovative arts curriculum. Professional designation along with her active role in education allowed her to maintain her autonomy as a working artist. As a descendant of textile designers, cobblers, and educators, her work suggests personal archeology. The warp and weft of fabric act as an inherent drawing and serves as a catalyst for her constructions. Shoes, handbags, shirts, belts, and pants once belonging to her mother are given new life in her sculptural assemblages. They echo the physicality of the body with “wounded symmetry.” Their association with Japanese armor, African masks, and the Commedia Dell’Arte attempts to evoke the depth of human behavior and to provoke a new lens into contemporary sculpture. Trefry exhibits, teaches under the guise of facilitating fearlessness, advocates for people who are experiencing homelessness, throws clay slabs, dances, and creates unusual spaces.