Painting/Mixed Media
Statement
"Chairacters"
Chairs are an extension of the human body. They have appendages and
seats that replace the laps we knew in infancy. Chairs convey power,
status,
and other associations. All one has to do is step into the hair stylist's
chair,
or the dentist's chair and fulfill their subservient role. One may be
envious
of, but comforted by the mere presence of the lifeguard in their elevated
chair.
Finally, an image of an electric chair has various effects on the viewer
as they
confront this powerful symbol.
Chairs embrace us unwillingly, support our tired
bodies, and offer solace.
They have been involved in many of the major decision making processes
in
our lives; as well as witnesses to many historical events. There is
great irony
in this when one thinks about the undue pressure and the high expectations
we place upon these inanimate objects. Objects that seldom complain,
except
for the occasional squeak or groan, and rely upon their human counterparts
to
transport them from one location to the next.
I frequently paint the chairs in the settings I find
them, or create the scene
around a particular chair form. The bright colors are used to either
add to the
unsettling quality of the scene, or to visually tie the various themes
together,
humor plays an important part in the pieces as well. Letting the chair
stand in
for us enables one to laugh at our human shortcomings, and to walk away
feeling a little more lighthearted. There are many forms of the chair
in existence, with each speaking to the intended user in different ways.
By peopling my canvases with these "Chairacters", and endowing
them with human emotions, it is my intention to explore the aspects
of the human psyche we associate with these structures.
Click here to view chronology
Mobile Home
wood, plastic, metal
2 3/4" x 5 1/2" x 6"
I have been developing a series of small sculptural
houses that are currently numbers around 20. The
idea for the house series came from an old claim
shack that I pass regularly on a stretch of ND High-
way 200. The shack reminds me of a Monopoly
House game piece in its compactness. This house
has been abandoned for years with the seasons ever
changing it. The shack sits forlornly on its little patch
of land, not unlike the houses do in the colored prop-
erty sections of the game.
The shack probably served as home and shelter
for
a family or families just starting out a new life on the
prairie. As an artist I am searching for home, and the
associations we have with the concept of home. Is it
the physical structure that makes the home, or is it the
occupants within?
I call the series either "There's No
Place Like Home"
or "Chairity Begins at Home," the latter being a spin off
of my chair paintings. The house titles help to further
define the visual puns that are rather tongue-in-cheek,
but are meant to trigger a deeper introspection.
not be reproduced without the artist's written permission. Please respect their rights.
North Dakota Art Gallery Association
412 19th Avenue Southwest
Minot, North Dakota 58701-6420
Phone (701) 858-3242
Fax (701) 858-3894
E-mail address: ndaga@ndaga.org
North Dakota Art Gallery Association.