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Inspiring Artist - Sylvia Levenson
Monday, September 8, 2008 at 06:29PM While I was taking the class at The Studio @ the Corning Museum of glass I got to visit the museum collection frequently. One of my favorite pieces (and there were many) was this piece by artist Sylvia Levenson.
It's Raining Knives by Sylvia Levenson
On of our class assignments was to seek out a piece from the glass collection to respond to via our own art work. As I get adjusted to moving out of NYC and deeper into the jaws of suburbia, and as I watch the continuing politics of fear immobilize people, I was deeply drawn to this sculpture. The title card also spoke volumes about our human exchange with fear.
For me, Sylvia's sculpture invokes the innocence of youth. The colorful houses and even the astro-turf are reminiscent of cloistered safety. The fact that she makes use of glass only adds to tenuous, fragile and volatile potential of the situation.
In my own work I am very drawn to the melancholy of loss, especially innocence lost. I had been feverishly illustrating a series of young girls in my sketchbook and was considering carefully composing them in a paper-doll fashion of sheets of glass. In addition I am very interested in stained glass, and really wanted to consider cutting my sheet glass into forms before I illustrated on them with the vitreous paint (this technique is explained in past post). I was inspired by the element of repetition as well. That is how my art pieces entitled Lost Girls was born.
detail of Lost Girls by marisol diaz
Lost Girls by marisol diaz
So with little time (for class was in its last three days) I cut sheet glass, painted and fired as many girls from my sketchbook and bunnies as I could. The scale is much smaller and less colorful than Levenson's work but the inspiration is there...in my way.
Lost Girls 2 detail by marisol diaz
Reader Comments (5)
wow those sketches of 'lost girls' are gorgeous Amaretto!! YOU are so artistic! I also love the 'raining knives' sculpture
just beautiful! even better in person! i love the paper cut out style but with a contemporary edge to them!
Mari I loved them. its so funny that the girls all have you face.
The glass was by far my favorite part of the show. The whole lost innocence theme that rang through all of them, and through the card set too, was just really kickass. Linking it with americanization was great too.
my suitmate ryan forman sent me to your site. I just wanted to say that the girls are absoutely beautiful. it inspires my creative side just looking. Thanks.