Riley Galpin
College of Arts and Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science
Safety
As a third year student at FSU studying Mathematics and Computer Science, art has been a language to express myself. Many of my artworks, including my current collection, "In Memory," have been inspired by the people and images surrounding me.
Often, I find myself speeding through life and missing the moments that make living meaningful. As society and social media demand constant attention and drive us to move faster, it is becoming increasingly important to slow down and acknowledge the present. My work acts to counter this. My paintings bring the viewer into a memory through depth, realism, and intricate details, while my embroidered overlay pulls the viewer back out and asks them to reflect on how these moments continue to impact the present. The messages behind my art are emphasized by my choice of media: oil-paint and embroidery. I was inspired to overlay my paintings with embroidered motifs in the style of Sashiko, the art of Japanese visible mending. Sashiko carries the idea that worn objects have beauty and that repairing them is an act of care.
This idea of repair, honoring what has been used, parallels my desire to honor the moments that shape us. Carefully planning how each design will interact with the paintings beneath connects my art to my background in mathematics. I develop on this meaning by overlaying my paintings of everyday images with embroidered patterns. From afar the embroidery is nearly invisible, but up close one can see the minute details and color variations intertwining with the oil-paint. The Sashiko shows that the moments captured have shaped and strengthened the individual and should be celebrated. Showing how as a whole small moments may not seem to matter, but they are part of the fabric of people and experiences that make us who we are.
Artwork Description:
Safety depicts a person standing over a stove, cooking dinner. The glow of the stove casts a concentrated light that isolates the figure from the surrounding space. The vertical embroidery pattern rises like steam and brings stability to the scene. The figure's posture, while turned, remains open to the viewer and embodies the quiet care of a meal prepared for another.