Sep

18

2018

Nora Burke

My artwork stems from my background in textile design and my love of folk art. I work primarily with watercolors, often combined with oil-based marbling techniques, to explore traditional fabric applications on paper. I draw inspiration from the symbols and archetypal imagery found in folk art throughout the world, such as the tree of life, gods and goddesses, and mythological creatures. My work attempts to highlight the common themes that connect art from diverse cultures. I am also interested in removing more overt religious references from traditional folk art and replacing them with something more amorphously mystical.

While my process begins in a more controlled way with details drawn in pencil and refined in masking fluid, my approach to painting and color is less precise and more emotional. I relish seeing the surprises that often reveal themselves after dropping my painting in a marbling bath and removing the masking resist. Sometimes this renders my art too obscured but this risk keeps the process exciting and dynamic. I add a final wash of color based on my feeling of what is needed to balance the painting. Combining the elements of precise detail and subjective use of color is a theme often found in my process that helps loosen my hand and motivates me to keep creating.

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