Dandelions series, 2022
7.5" x 7.5"
Found Objects and Mix Media on 100% Cotton Paper
Dandelions is a personal investigation of finding my own voice above social perception and expression of accessibility to art. Art spaces are still widely seen as pretentious and “fine arts” carries a notion of exclusive circles, and inaccessibility. Much like other artists before me, to name a few, Janet Sobel Joan Snyder, and Gustav Klimt went against the grain. Instead of pandering to the great art institutions, these artists divulge themselves through art by tapping into their own childlike wonder by experimenting with found objects
When choosing a meaningful motif: the lion head goldfish represents my faithful companions growing up, additionally they uphold the symbols of luck and fortune in many Asian cultures. This collection of unorthodox art materials reflects my childhood of forging art materials at home. Components of this piece use unconventional techniques and experimental pigments made from a range of everyday materials and found objects— egg yolks, black beans, blue-green algae, beets, lotus roots, orange pulps, and various household curios— all repurposed and arranged. The title of my piece derives from the humble dandelion weeds. Of which carry an array of symbolic traits, including the ability to overcome adversity. As such, the work is also composed of overlooked botanical plants to ordinary ingredients to remind us of the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
When choosing a meaningful motif: the lion head goldfish represents my faithful companions growing up, additionally they uphold the symbols of luck and fortune in many Asian cultures. This collection of unorthodox art materials reflects my childhood of forging art materials at home. Components of this piece use unconventional techniques and experimental pigments made from a range of everyday materials and found objects— egg yolks, black beans, blue-green algae, beets, lotus roots, orange pulps, and various household curios— all repurposed and arranged. The title of my piece derives from the humble dandelion weeds. Of which carry an array of symbolic traits, including the ability to overcome adversity. As such, the work is also composed of overlooked botanical plants to ordinary ingredients to remind us of the strength and resilience of the human spirit.
“-that roses you had to water and giver fertilizer or they’d die. But weeds, indigenous plants, you have them nada-nothing; hell you poisoned them and put concrete over them, and those weeds would still break the concrete.”
-Victor Villasenor, Burro Genius: A Memoir
“-that roses you had to water and giver fertilizer or they’d die. But weeds, indigenous plants, you have them nada-nothing; hell you poisoned them and put concrete over them, and those weeds would still break the concrete.”
-Victor Villasenor, Burro Genius: A Memoir