After exploring local artists on pbs.org I found an artist whose work was very unique and interesting. The artist Elizabeth Murray, http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/murray, is said to be a pioneer with her work. Many of her pieces jut out from the wall and are sculptural in form. I found the abstract pieces to be very unique which was why I chose to write about Murray.
In the article about Murray it includes an interview about one of her pieces, Bop. Bop is a very abstract piece, like many of her other works, and includes an asymmetrical composition. In the piece there does not seem to be any certain focal point. The eye is drawn to the many bold shapes in the composition. The shapes in the piece are non-objective and they do not overlap one another.
I learned in the interview the process that she goes through for each piece. Murray starts with a drawing of the shapes she would like and then has it cut out of wood, covered in canvas, and then painted. She enjoys including shapes in the piece that are abstract but can be sometimes recognizable. She describes one figure as a, “cloud with windows.” She likes to make her pieces comical but also can be serious at times; the way she considers life to be. Hearing her interpretation about life and how she translates it into her art made me appreciate the piece even more. After reading the process of what it requires to make each work it gives me a greater respect for the artists.
I found the interview with Elizabeth Murray to be very interesting because I have very little knowledge of any living artists. I have visited a few museums in the past and seen some famous works but I know very little about what an artist does to make a work of art come alive. Reading about Murray’s inspirations and what she does to create each unique piece has encouraged me to look at more than just the piece itself.
Excellent post!