Turning cardboard boxes into art (this will be finished with many more boxes when the artist gets home) |
Sculpture using insulating materials |
Using fabric with paint |
Assemblage art in candle trays |
There is something very special about being with this group. We all become very productive and focused on creating. With a few prods from Katherine, I find myself expanding my visions for a series. In fact, several years ago it was with this group that I began series work. So after a very slow year of painting, I really was motivated to keep working on my new series, Teach Me.
I worked solidly for the two weeks in Oxnard, coming home with four completed paintings to add to the whole of ten pieces so far. The piece below was done prior to the workshop and I just entered it in a competition.
Teach Me: South Sudan |
A few paintings in this series leaned up on the mantle. |
A final request from Katherine was to write an artist statement regarding this work. Here is an early draft.
Teach
Me
Education!
Girls and women throughout the world have fewer opportunities to become
educated. This issue has inspired the paintings in this series. Around the
globe (including the United States) girls are reaching for an education. Education will lead to equality, empowerment, employment and
self-confidence.
The
series captures only a small portion of the countries and cultures that have
low rates of schooling among the female population. As a symbolic painter, I
have chosen a framework to talk about this topic. Each painting has a fabric
pattern which represents the location. Another element in each piece denotes
the place itself with architecture, landscape, or cultural symbols. The hands call
to mind children in a classroom, ready to learn. All the arms are reaching for
the infinity symbol, representing knowledge. Teach Me is a series of hope.