Art is best seen in person

Borowiacy Folk Costume, 16”x16”, mixed media on board

“Couldn’t you just do this in photoshop?”— it is a question I hear now and then.  I realize it is never meant as some scathing critique of my work.  Some folks, so used to a digital format for all imagery, assume this is the best and only option.  It is tied into the same set of beliefs that an Instagram filter will turn you into an Imogen Cunningham or Edward Weston.   When you see one of their photos in person (not online) you immediately can tell.  Analog photography is here to stay. 

With collage and mixed media work it is a similar conundrum. There is some really good digital collage work out there.  And at times, I have seen some high-quality prints that are quite impressive.  But, when you view analog collage, handmade, one-of-a-kind work in person — you can see it.  Like practically all art, no book or jpeg can do the work justice.  

It is a problem I face with my work.  While I am glad for the ease of being able to share it online, it is never the same as being able to show it to art lovers in person.  

Embroidery with Paint, Paper and Glue

Kaszuby Hafty, 16”x16”, mixed media on board

Embroidery with paint, paper and glue wouldn’t be embroidery any longer. But the color inspiration for this piece comes from traditional Kashubian hafty (embroidery).  It’s been years since we all did embroidery back in art class.  That was the post-hippie 1970s when embroidery was big — yes, my mom even made an embroidered work shirt for me.

You can see the entire Post-Folk Art series at tofuart.com.   

Red, White and Blue

Kashubian Coat,16”x16”, mixed media on board

It could be easy to assume this piece was intended to be a patriotic statement.  A few people who have seen it in person have already had that reaction.  This might happen in the United States or any of the 30 countries that use the three-color combination of red, white and blue in their flags.  Perhaps you assume this was a nod to the Norwegian Curling Team.  While I would love some of their ensembles for party outfits — no, this is not the case.  This set of colors takes its inspiration from folk costumes found in Kashubia in northern Poland.

You can see the entire Post-Folk Art series at tofuart.com.   

Post-Traditional Folk Art

My personal art collection includes many folk art pieces and others which I would describe as “post-traditional” folk art.  By post-traditional I am referring to work where the artist has gone beyond recognizably traditional work, yet the influence of centuries of artists before them is clear in what they create. For myself, I have often relied on traditional textile work, especially quilting, for many of the patterns I incorporate into my own art work.  My map collages and map quilts have been some of the best examples.  During the creative process, I often think about expanding on folk art motifs. 

Recently, I had one of those aha moments when I was watching an episode called Neighbors from the PBS series Craft in America (it’s a fantastic show!).  The film included a segment on the ceramic artists Carlomagno Pedro Martínez and Magdalena Pedro Martínez in Oaxaca (you can watch it here).  As Magdalena was demonstrating how she preserves and depicts traditional Oaxacan folk costumes in her ceramic work, I was immediately, instantly inspired!

I follow a blog of Polish folk costumes which got me thinking about how to depict the folk art of my Eastern European heritage within my own work.  My collagescape series has been focused on capturing the palette of landscapes I wander through.  Much of my work in 2017 centered on ideas of color and memory.  It all is starting to coalesce in a new series where I capture the colors of Polish folk costumes.  The first three pieces, shown here, are inspired by Kashubian folk costumes — a place some of my ancestors emigrated from about 130 years ago.  You’re seeing a preview of what’s to come in 2018.