Perrella - Art-making, collections, and obsessions : an intimate exploration of the mixed-media work and collections of 33 artists

ARTIST
LAURIE ZUCKERMAN

LYNNE PERRELLA

AN INTIMATE EXPLORATION OF
THE MIXED-MEDIA WORK AND COLLECTIONS OF
35 ARTISTS

CHAPTER ONE
FINDERS, KEEPERS

CHAPTER TWO
PRECIOUS AND FEW

CHAPTER THREE
RARE EARTH

CHAPTER FOUR
HUMBLE PIE

CHAPTER FIVE
GLITTERING PRIZES

Whether we call it collecting, scavenging, accumulating, scrounging, gathering, or junking, its all about the urge to surround ourselves with our stuff, our loot, our stash, our hoard, our mother lode of treasures, and to reap the inspiration that these sometimes inexplicably irresistible objects provide. Every artist in this book has professed a different favorite thing to collect, and yet the kindred threads that run through all of their stories are a common zeal for collecting and a rampant urge to create. Whether the collected objects are actually used in works of art or merely provide inspiration, the synchronicity between Artist and Object is undeniable.

A persistent theme throughout this book is a yen for visual abundancethe yearning for every color of yarn, and every old book in the stack, and the whole clump of rusted keys hanging on the nail. This desire for Plenty translates to mixed-media artwork that is rich in textural detail, layered in materials and colors, inventive in technique, complicated in design, and deeply personal.

Self-professed Dumpster divers take delight in transforming the most humble finds into reinvented objects of rare beauty, and, conversely, many of these artists have shown their knack for working against common ideas of traditional finery to create an edgy, alternative look. Collecting and creating becomes the ultimate game of push-pull. Ultimately, its all about letting the objects speak and provide the spark.

In the hands of these inventive artists, even the most offbeat (shall we say grungy?) object finds a new life and has a new chance to shine. These alchemist-artists are the first to admit that their collecting habits are often confounding, or even hilarious, but they have been at the collecting game long enough to know that it is a surefire way to stir up new ideas in the studio and provide a fascinating sidebar to their lives. Mixed-media artist Gail Rieke defines the joys of scouring an outdoor flea market in Kyoto, Japan. Rustic maker Nick Nickerson tells of a late-summer shoreline cruise in an inflatable dinghy, looking for sun-bleached driftwood. Like me, many of these artists began their fascination with collections and found objects as children, and the special joy of unearthing some special something never seems to get old. Once a collector, always a collector.

To a true hunter-gatherer, practicality has little to do with the process. Most of the artists in this book will affirm that they normally do not have any specific end use in mind, as they drag home their finds. Nor do we (in any literal sense) need the quantities of things we amass. And yet, like the art process itself, there is something rewarding about trusting our instincts and letting each discovery unfold. Keeping our inner radar tuned to the innate possibilities of each object is an important part of the game, a way to keep energized and engaged throughout a whole lifetime of creativity.

Like a cabinet of curiosities opening wide, Art-Making, Collections, and Obsessions will provide an intimate glimpse into the unique treasures amassed by this renowned group of mixed-media artists and reveal how the compulsion to collect drives the urge to create. But, bewarecollecting is contagious!

LYNNE PERRELLA

Generally speaking, as I work, I derive pleasure from the beauty or appropriateness of a particular object, and it doesnt really matter how I came to have it.

JAMES MICHAEL STARR

You find a bad piece here, you lose a good one there, you pay too much here, you get a steal there. Thats the organic quality of a collection, and you live in it. You inhabit its activity.

JOSHUA BAER

Spoken Like a Seasoned collectors speak their mind and describe

I no longer feel bad about my stuff. In fact, I now classify it all as collections. They are my tools. They are both the materials and the art itself.

LESLEY RILEY

I find things all the time, wherever I am. I often have the feeling that they have been waiting for me to come along and pick them up. It thrills and excites me, because I know that I am going to begin a new piece based on my latest find.

BERYL TAYLOR

It always surprises me to discover how little I enjoy shopping, and yet how much I love hunting and collecting. Go figure!

LYNNE PERRELLA

Theres an exhilaration in the quest and a great satisfaction in organizing and communing with your loot.

MARILYNN GELFMAN KARP

I always have my collections in mind. It saves time when I power shop at flea markets. When Ive bagged an amazing bargain, I drive home in total euphoria, giving a high five to the car ceiling.

MELISSA SORMAN

True Collector the joy of searching for the next great discovery.

A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.

ALBERT SZENT-GYORG

Happenstance, or synchronicity, is everything to me. I believe that synchronicity controls what I will find. When I want something, I put my mind to it. I look specifically for that item. My process is to show up, and if it is there, then it was meant for me. It is my destiny.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN