PATTERN SERIES - ARTIST STATEMENT

ARTIST STATEMENT

‘Pattern Series’ is a body of work directly influenced by my jewelry designs and the development of those designs into jewelry objects.

By using the process of repetitive succession I manipulate and render the forms by taking them through different stages of illustration, metal construction, photography, and finally paint on canvas.

Expanding my ideas further into abstraction I reshape these natural forms for expressive purposes, and make a significant departure from subject and object to organic patterns and geometric structures by focusing on the pattern, texture, line and shape.

My objective is to be inspired by exploring and developing my design aesthetic of juxtaposing industrial and naturally occurring shapes, contrasting surface treatments, textures and colour, and bring those to a two dimensional surface.

Working with oils has opened a new avenue in my creative process, finding that they allow me to accomplish my intended application in a more fluid and dynamic way.  I incorporate metal leaf into the paintings to imitate the richness and reflective nature of the jewelry that has inspired me.

I use the copper etching byproduct, cupric chloride, applying it as a medium to the paintings.  What has been removed in the beginning stages of my jewelry process gets reintroduced, recycled, repurposed into my two dimensional work.

Just like copper and silver jewelry, the cupric chloride and fine silver leaf will age by oxidizing in the environment.

In ‘Pattern Series’ I demonstrate how one idea transcends mediums and dimensions, how one material or technical process influences the next step in my artistic expression.

Techniques:

BASSE TAILLE

Basse-taille is an enamelling technique in which I create a low-relief pattern on copper using the etching process, a translucent enamel is then applied to the metal, allowing light to reflect from the relief and creating an interesting effect.

The exquisiteness of these objects influence and inspire me to experiment with their qualities further.  I am then inspired to paint these wonderful forms, giving them a dynamic two-dimensional perspective on a much larger scale, thereby challenging what is art and what is craft, and connecting functional and non-functional art.

COPPER ETCHING

            I etch my own designs into copper sheet to be used to create jewelry forms.  Using a safer etching alternative to the traditional hazardous chemicals, I employ an Electrolytic Copper Etching method using a resist, salt water and a battery.

            The copper that is removed during the process attaches to the salt molecules to form cupric chloride in solution.  It is heavy and settles, I then drain off the clear liquid from above and use this “sludge” to apply as a medium to my paintings.  Once applied it dries very grainy and quite matt.  This cupric chloride will slowly oxidize over time developing an interesting verdigris colour.

 

• To see the jewelry that has inspired these paintings please visit my blog @

http://melodyarmstrong.blogspot.ca/