MICHELLE McGRATH
Artist Member
Artist's Statement
In my paintings and mixed media works, I incorporate rough textures and vibrant, high contrast colors. I find beauty and intrigue in the gnarled roots of a tree; the crumbling plaster on a wall; and the wrinkled, roughened hands of my grandmother. To explore these types of surfaces, my materials are distorted by twisting, ripping, and pulling the pieces apart. For instance, canvas is layered and stitched together in an uneven manner, with knots and lumps added to the distressed surface. I view these distorted, strained surfaces as different forces in my life that push or pull me in varied directions. This metaphor helps me to express myself through formal aesthetic concerns.
I approach my compositions playfully and intuitively, letting them evolve, during my process. Sometimes, a grided infrastructure or multi-piece presentation becomes a compositional element. This underlying framework allows me to organize my presentation as I gesturaly apply marks and manipulate surfaces.
My paintings contain bold, complementary color palettes. I perceive dynamic color to have a virile quality that emanates a strong sense of purpose. I am drawn to the expressive qualities, and how they command attention from the viewer.
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