|
|
 |
  |
|
 |
|
|
Mixed Media Art
|
|
|
|
Shrines and Altars or, Retablos, are a folk art form depicting a story within a box that honors a part of one's past.
I have recently begun making these as a way to tie together my love of photography, storytelling, painting and sculpture.
All of the stories are autobiographically based, yet the images used are all fictitious. I'm not quite sure if I will
be selling them or collecting them for a later gallery showing. I hope you find them interesting!
|
|
The first shrine is titled, "Kentucky Shame: The Sins of the Father."
The second is titled, "Stolen Life."
"Kentucky Shame," comes from the concept of hidden secrets within
the family. My ancestors are from the south and there are many hidden secrets starting with an amazing amount of alcoholism
and with that a startling relationship of spousal abuse that I have finally found a way to deal with in art. I think
this piece touches on that in many ways and deals with how many use religion to cover their sins. This is quite often
the case in the area my family is from. Looking at these pictures I found, I saw in the faces of the women, so much
pain and fear. The fear was too familiar...fear I just had to address.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stolen Life at the age of 23...this is a subject I am too familiar with as I lost my own brother at this age.
I believe the best way to create art is to take from what you know. If you don't; if you pull from an empty space, you
often end up with something false. When you pull from a place of knowledge and experience, the piece you create becomes that
much more alive. I'd like to think that this philosophy works; but I suppose you are the judge.
The young man in "Stolen Life," was a musician as you can see by the guitar he is holding. All other information
you can follow by the details put into the shrine.
These type of mixed media projects are quite healing as you are able to deal with losses of your own throughout the process
of dealing with the story creation of another's life and unfortunate death.
Arroyo Grande, California
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
