ARTIST STATEMENT
I am an artist whose work explores issues about death, motherhood and doing the dishes; while I have tried to make art that’s more universal, and to not be stuck in a feminine corner, the truth is that my art is about my life and my responses to it, and this is my life: motherhood and dishes and death. (Lately, less death, so that’s good.) I find that the more honest I am in my art, the more others can connect with my art, and that’s my goal, to communicate and connect.
My work is about expressing ideas, feelings, complaints, protests, in the form of something that people recognize. These have included medals, household shrines, tiny houses, and clothing. I have expressed frustration about housework, grief about the death of my child, made abstract work about the challenge of juggling it all.
Works in this series are about my outrage and grief and anger at being stripped of my rights, of my bodily autonomy, at being treated as less than fully adult, and less than fully human.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Elaine Luther is an independent studio artist with a sense of humor. Her mission is to make art that’s brave, vulnerable and true, and sometimes funny.
Her art has been exhibited in Chicago and across the country, including at Gallery I/O in New Orleans, LA and Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, IL. Solo shows include Harold Washington Library, West Englewood, Forest Park and Orland Park Public Libraries.
She regularly gives speeches at conferences and professional association meetings (and on Zoom). She has been an Advisory Board member for Woman Made Gallery; an ambassador for the Self-Employment in the Arts Conference and President of the Board of the Chicago Metal Arts Guild.
She has written for the Craft Industry Alliance and Moore Women Artists and her work has been included in national and international publications, including JCK Online, UPPERCASE Magazine, and Professional Artist Magazine.
© Elaine Luther