This Friday’s featured artist is Janice Schoultz Mudd and her Land Escape Series of paintings!
She is also a St. Louis area artist, and her mixed media map paintings are stunning!
She is also a St. Louis area artist, and her mixed media map paintings are stunning!
Green Bayou, 36 x 36 inches, acrylic and mixed media on canvas
Janice writes in her artist statement:
Mapping in its most basic form tells us where we were, where we are and where we are going. It probably started with the marks of a stick in the dirt. As a child I was intrigued by maps because they opened an entire world for me beyond my experience. A low flying airplane ride in a little single engine piper at twilight impressed upon me the accuracy of map imagery and the many things it could tell us. I saw the cluster of lights that told where the majority of homes and industry were located. The large dark spots with one or two beacons indicated forested areas or farms. Instead of asphalt lines I noticed ribbons of light that showed me where the traffic was heading. Diamonds sparkled across the rivers and boats clustered in defined zones near the shore. This was not a two dimensional map of lines on a paper, these were the patterns of a living culture.
The satellite inspired artwork you see here reflects influence of the pattern of structures that we, as a civilization, have imposed upon this earth. Previous civilizations have left their mark as well, and we are continually building upon it. I have chosen to take the raw information I see and interpret it in an abstracted form because it gives me an opportunity to merge numerous points of reference into a single statement and express my awe for the gift of this incredible world that we have to live in.
Mapping in its most basic form tells us where we were, where we are and where we are going. It probably started with the marks of a stick in the dirt. As a child I was intrigued by maps because they opened an entire world for me beyond my experience. A low flying airplane ride in a little single engine piper at twilight impressed upon me the accuracy of map imagery and the many things it could tell us. I saw the cluster of lights that told where the majority of homes and industry were located. The large dark spots with one or two beacons indicated forested areas or farms. Instead of asphalt lines I noticed ribbons of light that showed me where the traffic was heading. Diamonds sparkled across the rivers and boats clustered in defined zones near the shore. This was not a two dimensional map of lines on a paper, these were the patterns of a living culture.
The satellite inspired artwork you see here reflects influence of the pattern of structures that we, as a civilization, have imposed upon this earth. Previous civilizations have left their mark as well, and we are continually building upon it. I have chosen to take the raw information I see and interpret it in an abstracted form because it gives me an opportunity to merge numerous points of reference into a single statement and express my awe for the gift of this incredible world that we have to live in.
Shifting Greens, 20 x 20 inches, acrylic and mixed media on canvas
Going Green, 20 x 20 inches, acrylic and mixed media on canvas
Summer Residents, 20 x 20 inches, acrylic and mixed media on canvas
Green Harbor, 20 x 20 inches, acrylic and mixed media on canvas
If you’re in the St. Louis area, be sure to check out Janice’s paintings at the Summer Art Show at Tavern of Fine Arts. The exhibition runs through August 31st!
And learn more about Janice Schoultz Mudd and her map paintings at her website here.
TGIF!
Mary^
And learn more about Janice Schoultz Mudd and her map paintings at her website here.
TGIF!
Mary^
