Artist Statement Notes: Medium and Materials

Note: this post came from journal notes I’m making as I rewrite my artist statement, a task that is part of my DIY artist residency. 

My current work is mixed media but with a very specific set of materials I don’t often stray from: watercolor paper, mylar, graphite, water-based paint, and embroidery thread. Occasionally a few other materials land in the mix, such as matte medium which is used to seal delicate layers of graphite.

The combination of the these materials creates a tapestry-like quality. On their own, they are all rather quiet, delicate materials but together they create something more substantial. I’m still surprised by the durability of the work once it’s stitched together.

The watercolor paper is the foundation of the piece so it’s important that it be of good quality. Mylar, with it’s unique semi-transparent properties, offers another way (in addition to painting and drawing techniques) to add visual depth.

Drawing is an inherently intimate and direct process and very central to the work. I probably think of these works as drawings more than anything else, possibly because my shift from oil painting to mixed media work began with a large drawing.

Thread quite literally ties the layers together. It’s also used to add surface texture and further visual interest. This is always a scary part of the process because it happens at the end, after many, many hours have been spent on a piece. Because paper doesn’t have the self-healing properties of fabric when stitches are removed it’s a make or break step in the process.