Sunday, November 15, 2009

140 sewn paintchips

As I've been working on both the sewn paintchip project and the silverpoint drawings, I've slowly realized that they're part of the same body of work. I've got the first draft of an artist statement started (see bottom of post). 140 seems like the right number of paintchips for now. I've got about 20 more finished (some repeats), and for as much as I'd like to have all 350. The paintchips I've been using are no longer available at Lowe's. So, for now at least the paintchip project is at a pause. I've still got some for sale at etsy.


nested: paintchips
variable dimensions aprox. 40"x45" as shown
2008-2009
thread, paper

nested: paintchips (detail)
variable dimensions aprox. 40"x45" as shown
2008-2009
thread, paper


Artist Statement:

I am inspired by the tension found in the convergence of new technologies and traditional art making techniques.

I've long been interested in how information is visualized - data mapping, cartography and infographics have been sources of inspiration. This body of work is an exploration into the ways in which identity is formed and changed by the convergence of new technologies (such as social networking), the natural environment, and relationships. I am fascinated by the ways Internet and social networking have transformed the ways which people communicate both on & offline. This transformation leaves me nostalgic and drawn to making art that is labor intensive in mediums such as hand sewing and silverpoint.

With the silverpoint, I am drawn both to the quality of the mark and the history of this method of drawing. These large scale silverpoint drawings, through their use of intersecting fingerprint-like shapes, explore the relationship between the unique and the group. The clustered nature of these drawings also evoke the networks, or clusters found both online and in nature. The individual shapes in these works are reminiscent of repetitive ovular shapes frequently found in "natural" organic forms such as fingerprints, tree rings, and mussel shells.

This idea is also explored through a series of hand sewn paintchips. Each paintchip features sewn concentric circles that call to mind nests and serve as a metaphor for the idea of home; exploring the nature of home and identity and how this is formed and informed by relationships and environment. I am particularly interested in the ways in which identity can vary between mediums such as the difference between one's online persona and identity in person or at work for example.

Both the silverpoint drawings and sewn paintchips also explore the relationship between the individual and group through the use of unique multiples. The groupings suggest the ways in which people are both part of many different yet intersecting groups, and the ways in which we seem to naturally form attachments and groups with people or things that can be both alike and yet different from ourselves. This phenomena can be observed in the natural environment but is now also evident when viewing online groups and has become more apparent as sites like Twitter and Facebook have expanded the ways in which we form connections. There seems to be both an enlarging and narrowing aspect to this way of communicating, and this body of work grew out of my interest in this subject.

new silverpoint

Here's the hopefully finished new silverpoint drawing. The 3rd I've completed so far this size.


untitled V (silverpoint)
30"x26"
2009
silverpoint on paper



untitled V (silverpoint) (detail)
30"x26"
2009
silverpoint on paper

a new painting

I've been neglecting this blog a bit in the past month for time in the art studio. I'm working on a proposal for a show that will include the silverpoint and paintchip images, and I've finished a new painting. I'm going to do a few different posts, but here it goes.

new painting:
by land & by sea
11"x17"
2009
oil on canvas


detail views:
by land & by sea (detail 1)
11"x17"
2009
oil on canvas


by land & by sea (detail 2)
11"x17"
2009
oil on canvas