ARTIST STATEMENT
Poison ivy is a plant that thrives under conditions that many plants cannot, adapting to ever changing environments. It blends into its surroundings, often going unseen as it claims more turf and grows frighteningly larger each season, and it is incredibly difficult to eliminate. I respect and admire its quiet strength and resilience. And it’s poison.
I use poison ivy in my work. Not only does the plant’s fierceness parallel what is required of women, the processes involved are representative of women’s work. I nurture vats of dye rendered from the seeds, leaves, stems, and vines of the plant, keeping them simmering for months on end.
I use the plants and dye to pigment paper, then hand sew, bind, embellish, and decorate the page with care and beauty. But I am also infusing the work with poison, women’s weapon of choice.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Erin K. Schmidt is a practicing book artist and printmaker who creates private, evocative spaces within handbound artists’ books and zines. Through an exploration of materiality and structure she creates quiet narratives that examine lived and shared experiences. Her work often dives into environmental, women’s healthcare, and mental health issues as viewed through a personal and emotional lens. She earned her BFA from Michigan State University, and her MA in Book Arts with the honor of distinction from Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts London. Among her awards are 2023 Kresge Arts in Detroit Fellowship and Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize. Her work has been published on the cover of the prestigious publication “The New Bookbinder, Journal of Designer Bookbinders” and in “500 Handmade Books, Vol. 2,” among others. Schmidt’s work has been exhibited and collected internationally, and can be found in private and public collections including Tate Britain, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Poetry Library of England, Oxford University, University of the West of England, York University, Limerick School of Art and Design, Rhode Island School of Design, Yale University, Savannah College of Art & Design, Baylor University, Toledo Museum of Art, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, University of Nevada Reno, University of California San Diego, and other public collections. She teaches at Oakland University in Michigan.
© Erin K. Schmidt