L.A.Fairbanks | Studio 314
Bio
L. A. Fairbanks was born and raised in the rural countryside of southeastern Washington. She has strong connections to the active rolling fields, the flow of many waters, the stillness of the blues and the ancient growth of trees.
She received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Utah State University, studying Soil Science, Geology, Plant/Tree Taxonomy, etc. She worked for two years in a soil science lab, complete with geeky latex gloves, safety glasses and a lab coat. Other jobs have included jewelry making and polishing as well as publishing a few essays here and there in publications of the natural world.
When Laurie is not making art in the studio she can be found restoring an ancient house, spinning chains of fire or chewing on rocks with her nephew...
Statement
I revel in the myths of polarity, seeming opposites that draw each other as two sides of the same coin. Such is my portion of this show, a conglomeration of opposites creating a whole: man-made versus nature, sexuality versus the feminine divine, capitalism versus value.
The title is "Human Figure: Artists' Interpretations." My interpretations delve into worlds within and without, showing figure as metaphor and literal, translations of the many realms that are human.
"North," "South," "East" and "West." The four directions. Lakota Sioux descriptions imbue North with purification, wisdom, courage, the color white, and the organ of the heart. South is the trickster, red, warmth, ability, innocence. East is yellow, illumination, peace, birth, new life; our drive to rise and be reborn with the sun. West looks within; it is black, the end, death, letting go and of the spirit. Each piece I have created holds within it one direction, and yet all. Copper, Aluminum, Brass and Wood. Three + One = Four.
Across the room from these four direction is "Goddess in a Bark Dress." She embodies all directions. Divinity and humanity, metaphor and literal, within and without. She is man-made and natural, sexual and divine, value inherent and needing to survive. During the first half of opening night, She will embody the essence of being female and tree. Her interaction with the room will be in that place beyond words and the world's uses for trees and women as commodity, utility and recreation. For the second half, Goddess will reveal the gifts of her humanity, and thus wholeness, through her interaction with the public. Please respect this being and her space.
Inventory Sheet: North 2008 $NFS
24" x 24" x 4", Round
Wine Barrel Lid (Oak); Aluminum Frame; Copper, Brass Accents; Birch Bark Breast/Eye; Yellow Wood Torsos, Oak Leaf, Birch Flames
South 2008 $431
28" x 28" x 2
Wood Sheeting; Oak Torsos; Skeleton Lock; Keys; Copper, Brass, Aluminum Accents; Birch Flames
East 2008 $431
36" x 36" x 3"
Aluminum Window Frame, Sheeting, Bus Sign; Brass, Copper Accents; Organic Material (Seed Pods, Japanese Lantern Skeleton, Dragonfly Exoskeleton, Dried Herbs); Glass; Birch Flames
West 2008 $NFS
14.5" x 25" x 3"
Brass Eyes, Circles, Squares, Lotus; Steel and Aluminum Frame; Copper Accents; Bark Wings, Birch Flames
Birch Bark Dress $314
26" x 16" x 8.5", 2008
Honed Naturally with Steel Wool and Orange Oil
Tree Goddess $431
36" x 19.5", 3 Panels, 2008
Photograph--Hahnemuhle Cotton Rag, Gator Board
Goddess In A Bark Dress $NFS
2008, Dimensions Immeasurable Live Performance Art
Process Description of L. A. Fairbanks "Human Figure: An Artists' Interpretation"
My art is recycled from other venues: metal scrap yards, the forest, junk stores, digging in the yard. First law of thermodynamics, studying the flow of energy, suggests that energy can be transferred from one system to another in many forms. It is not created or destroyed.
I often bring home various treasures: shapes, colors, ideas, random items discovered in my path. These stew in the bell jar of my brain until the moment when I begin searching for order with intent. Then I simply pour, using the things around me, and the pieces create themselves. Literal translations and metaphoric, though my mind is more comfortable in the realm of metaphor.
Once the ideas have formed, all I do is uncover the beauty within and attach those things to one another. Voila. For instance, the piece titled "East" was once a window (all metaphors fully intended). I had to scrape off two inches of tar and paint to uncover the beauty that you see before you. I love discovering overlooked, abandoned treasures others discard, trample and refuse to see. To unravel the layers of accumulated dirt, grime, and putrescence uncovering the beauty within.
The first piece I worked on was "Birch Bark Dress." This was on the forest floor, a rougher version of what you see now. I was on a hike with my dog and a few friends. Don't ask me how the tree came out of its bark. I like that it is whole and round and fully intact. I truly enjoyed uncovering its hidden beauty, honing with steel wool this exterior. It felt like a woman in my hands, longing to be seen and heard and understood. I spent many hours removing dull layers accumulated for protection against the elements… and when I got to its true essence, I began finding hues of orange and red peeling away some of the outer layers. This for me is worth every minute of effort.
Too much renovation, however, can leave them raw and overworked. I like to get to the real beauty and then step back; leave it alone to let the inherence speak for itself, not the work. For this reason, I like to leave things in their natural form whenever possible. All the wood in this show is finished only with orange oil, to allow full interaction with the natural element without the interference of chemicals.