Abrams Claghorn Gallery
1251 Solano Ave, Albany, California 94706
Showing July 5 – August 31, 2017
Recption: Saturday July 15, 5 – 7 pm
Artist Talk: Saturday August 12, 5 – 7pm
Amber’s interview with Jennifer Pettus was published in our Winter 2015 issue, where you can see more the intricate details of Pettus’s embroidery mixed into a complex work of art made of various materials. Whatnot is up as part of Gathering: A Venison Magazine Retrospective, through August 31.
Artist Statement:
The complication of life inspires me to use complicated combinations of materials and methods in my work. I create three dimensional shadowboxes, free form assemblages, and installations that defy categorization with calculated hodgepodge. I spend a lot of time “making the stuff to make the stuff,” re-purposing second-hand and throw-away materials with techniques like knitting, knotting, stitching, wrapping, staining, poking, gluing, and smashing. I use excessive texturing in conjunction with vibrant colors and curious objects to create a visual pull, asking the viewer to come closer than they might otherwise to a work of art. My hope is to use this material mishmash to keep the viewer engaged with clues to a certain complexity behind the familiar