Thursday, September 15, 2011

wall paper world.


I was intrigued by the work of Rain Harris because of her installation Americana and how it reminded me of the direction my friend Crystal Gregory's work is headed.

a detail of Crystal's recent installation.

I loved her interpretation of wall paper through rigid materials and the combination of the lace work and the woods themed pattern.


She says this about her work:

My ideas are spurred by an analytical interest in the ironies associated with excess and class, which become interpreted visually through color, pattern and decoration. I freely borrow stylistic embellishments and motifs from the decorative arts and combine incongruous elements to create work that pushes decorative eclecticism to a point of excessive overindulgence. This allows the work to transcend itself, re-compose itself and find a new coherence

I look to the contradictions that reside between the tasteful and the tawdry and I create arguably elegant objects and installations that oscillate between good and bad taste. I ask if an ugly object be in “good taste?” Also, can a beautiful object also be a tasteless object? Frequently, I integrate lowbrow materials into my work to create “refined” work that teeters on the edge of ironic gaudiness. At other times I incorporate jarring color combinations and allow the work to indulge itself and brazenly flaunt it tastelessness.



Rain references wall paper in a few of her works and I always love that. I have used wall paper in some of my older works an have been itching to do it again and Rain's work inspired me to even more.


She also makes some gorgeous porcelain works. I like this piece as it seems to reference a plant nut in this uber feminine way. I am planning on making some fiber plants for the installation of my solo show next spring. I have been "planning" on making house plants for like 4 years now but for this upcoming solo show it finally makes sense so I am going to do it, darn it!!

Any way see more of Rain's lovely work here.

5 comments:

MulticoloredPieces said...

Can't remember how I got to your blog while surfing the net, but I'm marking it so that I can visit often. I thoroughly enjoy both your work and your blog. Thanks for featuring such wonderful artists from the fiber arts and other domains.
best from Tunisia,
nadia

Hena Tayeb said...

Lovely work..

Joetta M. said...

thank you nadia. It is always motivating and wonderful to hear that readers are connecting with what I feature and write about.

henzy-
and it is indeed lovely work:)

Cate Rose said...

I just found your blog...I love it!

Joetta M. said...

thanks connie. hope i stay worthy of the love:)