Mona Rae Chido Gross
"I make cool stuff out of junk"
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I am an American born artist working in assemblage. I take discarded items and give them new life by turning them into on-of-a-kind pieces of art.
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I work with a wide range of materials, that included but is not limited to: found objects, discarded items, fabrics, wire and various mediums, to construct unexpected and visually striking sculptures.
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I am inspired by the potential of found objects and discarded items, what some people may consider junk, and the challenge of combining them into something beautiful.
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Mona is a multi-talented artist and musician who has been recognized for her exceptional skills since early childhood. She is a talented visual artist who specializes in wire sculpture, found object sculpture, and collage, and has been exhibiting her works at local galleries since the age of fifteen. As a musician, Mona is a seasoned pianist and vocalist, having played at various venues across Austin, including SXSW. She has received private instruction in piano, voice, and digital production, and in 2022, received a scholarship to the prestigious Austin Chamber Music summer program at the University of Texas in Austin. Mona's talents in both art and music are truly exceptional and continue to develop with each passing year.
The Red Carpet Collection Event
Assemblage artist Mona Rae Chido Gross has been making whimsical sculptures out of found objects for years, but she recently ventured into new territory when she began experimenting with paper clay. Starting with a small face, Mona was surprised at how well it turned out and decided to make a whole body out of the material. Soon, she was using paper clay to glue random found objects together and dressing her sculptures in clothing.
Her mother suggested she release a collection, prompting Mona to think about how to make the sculptures more cohesive. Drawing inspiration from Calder's Circus, one of her early influences, Mona decided to create a family of sculptures. She spent weeks brainstorming ideas but it wasn't until her mother suggested she focus on what the sculptures she already had had in common that Mona had a breakthrough. She realized that many of the sculptures she had created were dressed in fancy clothing, inspiring the idea for The Red Carpet Collection.
Mona spent weeks working on each sculpture, carefully selecting objects and sewing clothes to make each one unique. When the collection was complete, each sculpture was different but had a sense of elegance and glamour that tied them together. Mona is thrilled with how the collection has turned out and is proud to have created a cohesive story through her art. She is very excited to invite you to view her Red Carpet Collection Event.
