Beth Cavener-

An American artist that's a classically trained sculptor. she builds complex metal armatures to support massive amounts of clay. She primarily uses animal figures which embody the complexity of human emotion and behaviour. Cavener addresses controversial subject matter head on and in direct opposition to the reputation of her chosen medium, clay. She focuses her sculpture on human psychology, stripped of context and rationalization, and articulated through animal forms. Her process is very physical, involving thousands of pounds of clay sculpted by hand. Her work is  large and dynamic, evoking fear and anxiety that is distinctly human even though it is presented through animal forms. The body language of these animal forms are metaphors for how humans think and feel, and they act as a psychological portrait more than a physical representation.