ARTIST STATEMENT
As a mother, wife, educator, and individual, I navigate daily decisions and compromises to cultivate a personal identity while nurturing others. Yet, the perceived truth often conceals an illusion imposed upon us by societal ideals. Depending on my identity, certain aspects of myself become stifled, controlled, or invisible. I am both seen and unseen. The demands of maternal perfection, shaped by both past and contemporary societal expectations, are grueling, exhausting, and often masked by a carefully constructed illusion, one I frequently struggle to uphold. Combining traditional and non-traditional materials, nostalgic patterns, figurative imagery, and the interplay of soft and hard-edged values seeks to illuminate the fabricated roles crafted within one’s self. Shadows and light, craft materials alongside traditional ones, and geometric and organic imagery create a chasm between the complex and hidden inner truths and the artifices created for one’s self. In contemplating the roles, I inhabit, I’ve come to recognize that I am all of these roles simultaneously and occasionally none of them. Yet, who am I without them? This question propels me to re-examine the valuation of women, our lives, and our experiences. I aim to sometimes peel back or enhance the layers of societal constructs, offering a fresh perspective on the value inherent in the diverse roles women play and the richness of their experiences.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Lori Solley is a full-time instructor at Kilgore College. She received her MFA from Texas Christian University, in Fort Worth, TX in printmaking and a BFA from the University of Texas at Tyler in 2-dimensional art. Her work consists primarily of combinations of drawing, embroidery, and collage techniques. She has exhibited nationally and regionally. She was recently selected as Top 5 shows to see in Texas in September 2022 by Glasstire and was included in the 30th anniversary of New Texas Talent. She is a native of Gladewater, TX and currently lives in Texas with her husband, two kids, and many pets.
© Lori Solley