Bobbi Meier
Wallflowers
I am a painter; a colorist, I love to draw and make marks. I am fascinated with patterns and the idea of what it means to mark directly on a beautiful chintz drapery or bedspread. I am interested in re-interpreting domestic patterns, symbolic to me of an elegant, ordered life, and adding a twist of gritty reality to them. My work has become increasingly elaborate, as my life has grown more complicated. These shapes, once constrained to the picture plane, have spilled off the canvas and onto the wall. They need a larger space in which to reside, a temporary home that will only exist in photographs at the end of this exhibit. These flowers will briefly bloom on the wall, not as shy invisible wallflowers, but as larger than life, stylized, joyful shapes, confused and complex in their presentation: a 21st century take on a 19th century idea.
I have developed a vocabulary of imagery inspired by 19th century wallpaper patterns, kitsch objects, patterns in nature, historical cultural patterns, children s toys, and exotic plant forms. I seek the quirky and exotic within these resources to incorporate into my work. Skeletal shapes may intertwine with elegant sensual floral elements; plush, patterned toys become abstracted and buried in a whirl of calligraphic line. Careful observation will reveal layers of information buried and brought to light through my interaction with the work. My life is not simple and my artwork reflects that fact. My intention is to intrigue the viewer to enter this world and discover a surprise or two along the way.
