Laura Stickney: Aspects of Theodore Payne Foundation in Line and Color
Theodore Payne Art Gallery
Sun Valley, CA
Oct. 12 – Dec. 29, 2012
The Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants (TPF) invites you to the opening reception of the art exhibition celebrating the work of artist-in-residence, Laura Stickney. Luminous watercolors, richly colored oil paintings and seed-packet artist’s books will be on view. Created over the course of Laura’s one-year residency, each piece was inspired by the nursery, gardens, and other discoveries made at the Theodore Payne Foundation.
Laura Stickney is a graduate of USC with a major in printmaking. In addition to her work as an artist, Laura has taught art to all ages for 25 years at the well-known Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood, and the art of printmaking at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
Here are examples of the wonderful work Laura created during her residency. View the entire collection and learn from Laura yourself during the opening reception on Saturday, October 13, 2012. The reception will be held from
2:00 – 4:30 PM. The Artist Talk begins at 3:00 PM.
Many thanks to the Theodore Payne Foundation for this early look at the exhibition. Images and descriptions courtesy of The Theodore Payne Foundation.
Seed Packet Artist’s Books
Laura’s artist’s accordion books are based on Theodore Payne seed packets. Unfolded, they reveal delicate graphite drawings of selected native plants, a tiny clear bag of seeds, and a poem written by Laura and inspired by that plant.
Seed Packet Artist Book 3, mixed media © 2012 Laura Stickney, all rights reserved
Pod Paintings
Painted from life, Laura’s series of small oil paintings of native seed pods at TPF are densely packed with information, texture and color. The images are painted on repurposed, rectangular Polaroid metal film canisters. The use of discarded film containers is linked and refers back to Laura’s concept of light. In some way, the paintings refill those empty Polaroid vessels with new memories.
Matilija Pod, oil on Polaroid metal film canister © 2012 Laura Stickney, all rights reserved
Watercolors
Laura’s iridescent watercolors capture the beauty of sunlight and the colors of TPF. Conceptually layered, they focus on the place where nature and culture collide, where the nursery plants and the evidence of their caretakers intersect: a plant cart, a plant pot, a secluded corner of the garden. “All of my work is about still life,” Laura says. One could call these watercolors of nature and culture “environmental still lifes.”
Plant Cart, watercolor on archival paper © 2012 Laura Stickney, all rights reserved
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