Artist Joan Konkel presents a intriguing portfolio of ethereal woven mesh sculptural artworks that interact with light. Go to her internet site to see far more.
I grew up in California, the land of sunlight, sparkling seas and snowy mountains. Perhaps this is why light and color have been significant in my perform.
As an adult, I moved to Washington, DC, where by I attained a master’s degree in sculpture and worked with type, and space. These encounters have motivated my work as I attempt to seize gentle and to perform with producing new colours in space from a blend of various hues on many surfaces.
I start out a piece by painting a canvas, which is my foundation layer. I then paint, and sometimes form, layers of fiberglass or metallic mesh. The painted mesh is put atop the canvas.
I have observed that each style of mesh has distinctive qualities. Metallic mesh has the benefit of holding a form. When I enhance the length concerning layers, the illusion of increased depth may well be noticed. I can form metallic mesh to hold soft bends or sharp angles. When metallic mesh is minimize, I have to conceal the edges which are sharp and could trigger harm.
Fiberglass mesh, by distinction, behaves much more like cloth. Contrary to metal mesh, it fails to maintain a distinct type and as a substitute can be draped. Styles slice out of fiberglass mesh can be layered or overlapped with out stress of sharp edges.
The mesh I use is porous. 1000’s of very small openings allow passage of equally light and coloration. By employing mesh as a medium, I insure that house is included into the function.
As light-weight filters through these openings, gentle waves refract and mirror off each and every strand. As mild waves collide, either constructive or deconstructive interference takes place, in essence, developing either an boost of, or a diminishing of, light-weight. In some instances, specifically with fiberglass mesh, sections of the function become iridescent.
Light-weight travels amid the layers of my do the job and coloration also journeys. The colours I have painted on the individual levels of mesh and canvas blend optically at the surface area. This will make me sense that I have offered hues independence. They can travel from a two-dimensional plane, enter the 3rd dimension, and blend with another coloration to variety a new hue.
Formed metallic mesh also permits hues to unite with distinctive hues dependent on the angle from which a piece is viewed. The layering of mesh can also crack apart a mix of colors. Mainly because of the grid construction of mesh, when layered, the blend of shades can fracture into moiré designs comprised of two distinctive colours. I have realized to manipulate these styles as style components.
My get the job done, the journey of light, room and shade as it meanders via the medium of mesh, has adopted a lot of paths of exploration. Every path has brought new insights into this great medium.
Joan Konkel invites you to adhere to her on Instagram.
Want to continue to be present-day on reducing edge business enterprise articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist attributes, and an invitation to the following Call for Artists? Simply click beneath to indicator up for our twice-every month email. You’ll get all this as well as prospects and exclusive delivers that you just cannot get anyplace else!