SOLOMONS, Md. — Jael Potter, a senior at Thomas Stone High School in Waldorf, has earned a spot in the “Let Them Cook, Teen Art Exhibition” at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center in Solomons Island. Her sculpture, titled “DYSMORPHIA,” created in Amy Rye’s Ceramics II class, explores the emotional challenges of being a teenage girl and will be displayed from March 7 to March 30, 2025, in the center’s main gallery at 13470 Dowell Road.
Potter, an honor student in the school’s Project Lead the Way: Biomedical Sciences program, crafted “DYSMORPHIA” as part of an assignment to sculpt a series reflecting an emotional connection to everyday life and cultural background. Inspired by Detroit-based sculptor Austen Brantley, whose work delves into cultural identity and socio-economic challenges, Potter’s piece addresses the pressures of societal standards on teenage girls. “To be a teenage girl means to constantly be plagued by the thoughts, eyes, and standards of others,” Potter wrote in her artist’s statement. “To be a teenage girl means to be consumed with the idea of perfection when it ceases to exist.”
The sculpture features three smaller pieces mounted vertically on a PVC pipe, resembling 3-D cameo brooches—one with multiple eyes, another with a pierced tongue, and a third depicting an ear wrapped in jewelry. These elements symbolize the scrutiny and self-consciousness Potter feels. “A thing that has resonated with me the most as a teenage girl is being misunderstood,” she said. “People forget that a lot of teenagers, especially girls, have body dysmorphia.” Her inspiration aligns with a 2020 National Library of Medicine report, which found that many adolescents experience dissatisfaction with their appearance, often exacerbated by social media.
Rye, Potter’s teacher, recognized the piece’s potential for the exhibition. “I selected this piece because of the prestige and pure ingenuity it took Jael to design this structure,” Rye said. “‘DYSMORPHIA’ is creative, well-built, and has a very deep meaning.” She emphasized the role of art in education, noting, “Observation, literacy, problem-solving, innovation, self-expression, and critical thinking are valuable life skills students take away from the arts. The arts make school fun, the arts make students come to school excited and ready to learn, the arts are imperative to the building blocks of a human being.”
Potter sees art as a vital outlet for teens. “Kids have a lot of pent-up emotions that they are not necessarily sharing and are hard to articulate,” she said. “But I think when you pay attention to what other people are creating, it says a lot about how they are feeling. I think a lot of kids use art as an emotional outlet.” Her work reflects a broader struggle, with the National Institute of Health noting that body dysmorphia affects many adolescents, often driven by societal pressures and online influences.
The “Let Them Cook, Teen Art Exhibition,” for artists aged 13 to 19, opens March 7 with a reception, followed by a virtual exhibit on March 14 at annmariegarden.org. Annmarie Sculpture Garden, a Smithsonian affiliate, hosts the show to celebrate teen creativity. Thomas Stone High School, part of Charles County Public Schools serving over 1,200 students, fosters such talent through its arts programs.
