Exhibition Proposal
I propose to exhibit selections from my two-dimensional works on paper of the past six years.
I will present work that has evolved as a response to a major life change.
Ideally, of course, art should speak for itself, but it's perhaps helpful to know that this body of work was influenced and inspired by late Modernism generally, and specifically by Marsden Hartley, Charles Demuth, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauchenberg, Jasper Johns, Robert Indiana, and William Wegman.
Additionally, the works to be exhibited contain three major themes with overlap: "Planes of the Head", "Cowboys", and "Letters & Numbers". For me these three subjects symbolize, in order, my observed experience of an accident, of a display of courage, and of various losses due to brain damage.
If art is the symbolic transformation of reality, as I believe it to be, then my intent is to provide a symbolic illustration of this journey. Symbolically, then, the three themes listed above express my three stages of inner experience since 2016 when my husband of over fifty years had a freak fall on black ice followed by a series of disabling strokes.
The first stage, "Planes of the Head" shows initial shock at a health crisis and, for me, also suggests every first year art students' sudden panic at how hard drawing really is. (The ultimate challenge is the head and portraiture.) The second stage, "Cowboys" represents gratitude, the realization that in every situation buried treasure may be found. And for me these cowboys recall the singular crisis of adolescence, a time of upheaval, but with the hidden treasures everyone shares. The third stage, "Letters & Numbers" is more open-ended suggesting for all of us our journey is not over. These symbols also express the skills of physical speech, robust mentation, easy number and letter fluidity, etc., which while ubiquitous and commonplace, are actually quite fragile and are easily damaged or lost.
The works will be shown chronologically, 2016 to the present. They represent an active journey.
All works are on paper under glass, suggesting frailty with protection. The mediums and techniques employed are all traditional, e.g., various watermedia on paper, serigraphy, various intaglio, engraving, monoprint, monotype, and other traditional and experimental printmaking techniques.
I will present work that has evolved as a response to a major life change.
Ideally, of course, art should speak for itself, but it's perhaps helpful to know that this body of work was influenced and inspired by late Modernism generally, and specifically by Marsden Hartley, Charles Demuth, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauchenberg, Jasper Johns, Robert Indiana, and William Wegman.
Additionally, the works to be exhibited contain three major themes with overlap: "Planes of the Head", "Cowboys", and "Letters & Numbers". For me these three subjects symbolize, in order, my observed experience of an accident, of a display of courage, and of various losses due to brain damage.
If art is the symbolic transformation of reality, as I believe it to be, then my intent is to provide a symbolic illustration of this journey. Symbolically, then, the three themes listed above express my three stages of inner experience since 2016 when my husband of over fifty years had a freak fall on black ice followed by a series of disabling strokes.
The first stage, "Planes of the Head" shows initial shock at a health crisis and, for me, also suggests every first year art students' sudden panic at how hard drawing really is. (The ultimate challenge is the head and portraiture.) The second stage, "Cowboys" represents gratitude, the realization that in every situation buried treasure may be found. And for me these cowboys recall the singular crisis of adolescence, a time of upheaval, but with the hidden treasures everyone shares. The third stage, "Letters & Numbers" is more open-ended suggesting for all of us our journey is not over. These symbols also express the skills of physical speech, robust mentation, easy number and letter fluidity, etc., which while ubiquitous and commonplace, are actually quite fragile and are easily damaged or lost.
The works will be shown chronologically, 2016 to the present. They represent an active journey.
All works are on paper under glass, suggesting frailty with protection. The mediums and techniques employed are all traditional, e.g., various watermedia on paper, serigraphy, various intaglio, engraving, monoprint, monotype, and other traditional and experimental printmaking techniques.
