The purpose of an artist statement is to let the reader know the intent, context, and process behind the art work. Statements can be written in a number of formats but should always be clear and concise about what the work hopes to accomplish.. A statement should give the reader a sense of what your work is like before seen. Statements should be tailored to the specific purpose of the exhibition.
My artist statement for my latest exhibition, 'Looking to Nature' is heavily inspired by Ginger. The statement reads as follows:
I am passionate about color, pattern, and texture! My sense of sight craves rich, warm colors and my sense of touch delights in woven fabrics, fibers, and rough decorative papers. I also love narrative and the opportunity to visually share a story or express my thoughts and feelings. In sharing a story, thoughts or feelings, I am intrigued by the opportunity to visually reveal only a sliver of the story, enticing the viewer to wonder about the rest of it. Over the past few years, I have discovered that mixed media best communicates my ideas to the viewer.
It is the integration of materials that provides the excitement and challenge in collage. Working in the background, middle ground, and foreground all at once is thrilling! I am most pleased when I am able to pull shapes and patterns from the background and place them in the foreground, as well as when I am able to push elements from the foreground to the back of the piece. I approach each collage without specific decisions as to what element will appear in each plane of the piece. Elements float back and forth, forth and back, again and again. I incorporate drawn and photocopied images in my work, along with charcoal, soft pastels, acrylic inks and paint. My pieces are very much of the “kitchen sink variety,” evoking energy and enthusiasm.
My current exhibition, 'Looking to Nature,' draws upon a friendship of 35 years which ended tragically in March of this year when Virginia(Ginger) Sasser DeLacey, took her own life. She was my dear friend and college roommate, and unbeknownst to those of us who loved her, suffered from bouts of depression for many years. To us, Ginger was the light of the world, doing all things perfectly. She was smart, funny, and beautiful. She loved nature and spent her days effortlessly caring for her family, friends, and strangers. A year before she died, Ginger and her youngest daughter planted a community garden which they harvested for their local food bank in Chesapeake. This garden continues to flourish today and yet, Ginger is gone. I look back at our experiences together and realize that although she appeared to fully participate in a rich and full life, in reality she was merely an observer, unable to absorb the beauty that the world exuded. In my art, I try to imagine what it may have been like for my friend to live disconnected from the world around her. In my heart, I continue to grieve.
