Strata

• Main Author: Hale, Lauren
• Format: Others
• Published: VCU Scholars Compass 2016
• Subjects: Fine Arts
• Online Access: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/4557; http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5610&context=etd

In my mixed media pieces and sculptural books, I explore the significance of place. Place is not just a geographical location; it is a layered history that tells a story. My experiences in a specific environment and how I relate to it, study it, remember it, or imagine it drive me to create pieces. While the choices I make are influenced by my own experiences, I want to evoke feelings of familiarity, intrigue, and a sense of nostalgia. In my process, I intuitively layer paint, printed materials, and mixed media to make a foundation for exploration. I continue to experiment by applying more paint and developing layers of media and marks. I cut away, add to, and rework areas in an effort to build a reflection and sense of place. The process itself is as important as the outcome. The stratum of layers reveals the growth and evolution of a work and in turn discloses its own history.