Subject
To Go Past the Gate and Into the Temple’
Cut and torn painted and found papers, acrylic paint. One of the main sources for Brielle's imagery of Guatemalan textiles was from ‘Textiles of Guatemala’ by Regis Bertrand and Danielle Magne
‘Sacred Self Surfacing’
Folded found and painted papers. she used the same book ‘Textiles of Guatemala’ by Regis Bertrand and Danielle Magne as the source for her images of Guatemalan textiles which make up the center of each diamond in this piece.
Both pieces were finished in early 2022 and are 51 x 42 inches.
"The areas that feature images of Guatemalan textiles and life represent my deepest, most sacred self that is always finding it’s way out. I am learning to communicate who I am now that I have lived in the United States for 11 years, and have chosen to settle down here with my husband and child. It has been a journey to find the best way to express where I come from as a white person who was raised by U.S. parents in Guatemala - without being able to claim any heritage to the place I spent my formative years, it is home. There is nothing more rooting for me than being there, nothing more familiar than the colors, textures, smells, languages, foods, sounds and plants of my favorite country on Earth. These pieces are about allowing my third culture to exist, about reaching into that sacred center, the temple, and letting it shine.
Creating abstract texture-scapes is a deeply cathartic and soothing practice for me. It's an empowerment exercise that helps me work through my anxiety and turn my “disorder” into something that I can proudly offer to the world. My tendency toward collecting, repetitive activity and meticulous organization become real strengths in this work.
The first stage of my process involves collecting reclaimed or waste materials that I’m drawn to: landfill-bound, often non-biodegradable objects. Once I’ve assembled a substantial collection (often with help from the community), I take these familiar materials and fold, cut, tear, bind, layer, and/or paint them. Finally, I multiply those steps hundreds or thousands of times to create works that feel immersive and colossal. In building these bold worlds out of many small steps, I "graduate" and show myself my own capability and strength. These works allow me to feel safe and be adventuresome at the same time.
While the process of making these texture-scapes brings me peace, the intention behind them is also to offer peace, and space. I think of them as gardens. Like gardens, they are therapeutic to create and therapeutic to experience. They are lush, changing. The light brings them to life, and casts shadows. Movement and wildness meet a human impulse for order and control. We settle into them, knowing they are safe. We arrive at them carrying our whole lives in our heads and take from them what we need - a place to rest, feel alive, meditate, reminisce, cry, or let our eyes wander." artist statement
Cut and torn painted and found papers, acrylic paint. One of the main sources for Brielle's imagery of Guatemalan textiles was from ‘Textiles of Guatemala’ by Regis Bertrand and Danielle Magne
‘Sacred Self Surfacing’
Folded found and painted papers. she used the same book ‘Textiles of Guatemala’ by Regis Bertrand and Danielle Magne as the source for her images of Guatemalan textiles which make up the center of each diamond in this piece.
Both pieces were finished in early 2022 and are 51 x 42 inches.
"The areas that feature images of Guatemalan textiles and life represent my deepest, most sacred self that is always finding it’s way out. I am learning to communicate who I am now that I have lived in the United States for 11 years, and have chosen to settle down here with my husband and child. It has been a journey to find the best way to express where I come from as a white person who was raised by U.S. parents in Guatemala - without being able to claim any heritage to the place I spent my formative years, it is home. There is nothing more rooting for me than being there, nothing more familiar than the colors, textures, smells, languages, foods, sounds and plants of my favorite country on Earth. These pieces are about allowing my third culture to exist, about reaching into that sacred center, the temple, and letting it shine.
Creating abstract texture-scapes is a deeply cathartic and soothing practice for me. It's an empowerment exercise that helps me work through my anxiety and turn my “disorder” into something that I can proudly offer to the world. My tendency toward collecting, repetitive activity and meticulous organization become real strengths in this work.
The first stage of my process involves collecting reclaimed or waste materials that I’m drawn to: landfill-bound, often non-biodegradable objects. Once I’ve assembled a substantial collection (often with help from the community), I take these familiar materials and fold, cut, tear, bind, layer, and/or paint them. Finally, I multiply those steps hundreds or thousands of times to create works that feel immersive and colossal. In building these bold worlds out of many small steps, I "graduate" and show myself my own capability and strength. These works allow me to feel safe and be adventuresome at the same time.
While the process of making these texture-scapes brings me peace, the intention behind them is also to offer peace, and space. I think of them as gardens. Like gardens, they are therapeutic to create and therapeutic to experience. They are lush, changing. The light brings them to life, and casts shadows. Movement and wildness meet a human impulse for order and control. We settle into them, knowing they are safe. We arrive at them carrying our whole lives in our heads and take from them what we need - a place to rest, feel alive, meditate, reminisce, cry, or let our eyes wander." artist statement
Description
"'To Go Past the Gate and Into the Temple’ and ‘Sacred Self Surfacing’ both speak directly to the first eighteen years of my life in Antigua, Guatemala. They are textural landscapes that illustrate how I carry Guatemala in my heart always. The traditional Mayan hand woven and hand embroidered textiles I grew up admiring taught me directly, alongside the thriving plant life there, how to appreciate color and texture. These two artworks include found images from Regis Bertrand and Danielle Magne’s book ‘Textiles of Guatemala’ in their composition."
Creator
Brielle DuFon