ARTIST STATEMENT
My art often makes use of reclaimed objects which are integrated and reimagined into dynamic and poignant work. Whether a painting, drawing or construct, my work is an inquiry into the myth of self, fleeting time, or articulates a sense of personal, environmental, social, or political disquiet especially with reference to womxn’s experience.
“Celestial Songs of Yesteryear” looks at a moment in a photograph in which an experience has been encapsulated and isolated. In other words, time stops and we then interpret that miniscule moment into stories from our own point of view. In this piece the characters are even more isolated and removed from each other creating an entirely new story.
This work is part of a series that investigate the human experience in a poetic and compelling way using irony and transcendence, iconographic symbolism, dynamic design and color. Ms. McElwain has a particular interest in the diptych form which simultaneously unifies and isolates the conjoined sections of the piece creating a dynamic synergy between the components. The art tends towards a monochromatic palate with subtle use of color for visual or emotional impact.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Angela A. McElwain is a painter, sculptor, photographer, poet and graphic novelist whose studio is located on the northwest side of Chicago. Using oils, acrylics, collage, assemblage, and photography she makes authentic, evocative art, foraging the depths of the human experience with the expectation that the observer counter with their own response.
Her beautiful and powerful pieces investigate social, cultural and spiritual issues. The work very often incorporates the human form, and the dramatic use of color intensifies the visual power of each piece.
McElwain’s work, stimulating and intuitive, functions as a bridge to the subconscious, demanding that the viewer emotionally engage in the work and its meaning.
© Angela McElwain