ONCE UPON A TIME | Patricia Kenny

Artist Statement

I live and work in Ottawa as a multi-discipline artist with a primary focus on printmaking and painting. The source of my ideas comes from what I observe and experience, especially in relation to the human condition. What inspires me most is resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
In my printmaking I explore a variety of processes including etching, collagraph, lithography and woodcut. This series of figurative works is about states of mind and social implications in relation to transformative experiences. The works are narrative and stem from my observations and experiences and my empathetic response to the stories of others.
I approach the plate with gestural expressive lines in the initial stage and develop the idea through a multi-phased approach. The process of etching includes various techniques such as Chine-collé, soft-ground, aquatint, burnishing and scraping. The collagraphs include a technique of overprinting several times with various colours followed by hand colouring with acrylic, pastel, graphite and marker in the last phase for the work to reach the final form. The woodcut was produced through a staged process called colour reduction printing.
Printmaking appeals to me for the directness with materials, spontaneous gestures and the iterative process that allows the idea and image to emerge in stages. I enjoy exploring the many possibilities through making variable editions where each print has unique qualities. I am inspired by the German Expressionist Käthe Kollwitz who drew from her emotions, experiences and observations of the world around her and created many expressive powerful images in prints.
The painting I included is an exploration of states of mind; created using expressive gestural lines in acrylic and spray paint. I build the painting with mixed media techniques and allow visible remnants of layers beneath. These layers serve as a metaphor for the accumulation of life’s experiences.
April 2016