Julia Stephens
College of Fine Arts, Studio Art (BFA)
Black Dog Burning Through
From life and death, the physical and metaphysical, faith and fact, I explore the relationships of two extremes that flow in cycles. We often think of these opposites as separate concepts part of the same timeline. I want to blur this line and show that everything is interconnected on an intangible scale of influence. Through personal icons, obscured natural forms, and language I make work that interacts with separate layers of what I view as soul and psyche.
I approach creating my concepts through mixed media sculpture, ceramics, and paintings. My process involves carrying out research on different symbols and patterns I utilize within my work followed by writing down my thoughts in a stream of consciousness format to solidify my idea. Dreams are influenced by what our minds experience in reality, so how does the opposite occur?
I view my art as a harbinger of something unknown; a concept that we have barely scratched the surface to. I do not want to make a direct statement, but simply open the door to a journey that occurs beyond physicality.
Artwork Description:
In this painting "Black Dog Burning Through" I chose the shape of a black dog that I have repeatedly hallucinated as my personal icon to house various elements from my own dreams bleeding into one another. My own written recordings of previous dreams are used to represent the activation of language in visual thought and memory. Two houses are featured. Though they are the same house, they are both recalled differently through my dreams. This all came together through shape and space in my painting.