Imaginary Worlds
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Opening Reception January 15th, 2022 4pm-6pm Show runs from - January 15th, 2021 - February 19th, 2022 |
(Click image for press kit)
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This slideshow highlights a small selection of pieces in this evolving exhibit.
Artist - Robert Hoffman
Statement
The techniques I use are collage, frottage, painting, drawing, embroidery, and stenciling and I incorporate embroidery floss, 3D pen, acrylic paint, oil paint, and maps into these works. I still use birds as the focal point of my compositions, but I’ve incorporated my embroidery skills to add to the texture and to give it a softness.
In this body of work, Imaginary Worlds, my palette became more colorful and my forms became more organic and random. Most of these pieces were developed during the Pandemic. The isolation made me delve into my world deeper and gave me more time to explore this world visually and textually. Early in the pandemic, time seemed to slow down. This feeling allowed me the freedom to experiment with randomness and interesting forms. Travel is always a part of my work. In these works I show that with the addition of my own drawn and painted roads to add to the directional movement of the pieces. Embroidery is a focus of mine and it evolved during the pandemic. The act of embroidering gave me comfort and calmness. As a fiber artist I used embroidery as a juxtaposition to the rough elements from the landscapes. These paintings depict narratives that tell of their travels in magical lands: giving the viewer a look into their world.
In this body of work, Imaginary Worlds, my palette became more colorful and my forms became more organic and random. Most of these pieces were developed during the Pandemic. The isolation made me delve into my world deeper and gave me more time to explore this world visually and textually. Early in the pandemic, time seemed to slow down. This feeling allowed me the freedom to experiment with randomness and interesting forms. Travel is always a part of my work. In these works I show that with the addition of my own drawn and painted roads to add to the directional movement of the pieces. Embroidery is a focus of mine and it evolved during the pandemic. The act of embroidering gave me comfort and calmness. As a fiber artist I used embroidery as a juxtaposition to the rough elements from the landscapes. These paintings depict narratives that tell of their travels in magical lands: giving the viewer a look into their world.
Biography
(photo credit - Media Service Studio)
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Robert Hoffman (b. 1971) attended Indiana University where he earned a BFA. Although he was a painting major, Robert found himself drawn to fibers and mixed media and taught himself how to embroider and combine mediums. This opened up a world of possibilities. Robert currently resides in Baltimore with his partner and his home studio. He began working on a series called “Society” in Indiana and continued when he moved to Baltimore. This series was based on his fascination with birds. Robert grew up near his grandparents, who were amateur ornithologists and lived near a limestone quarry surrounded by woods. He often played there and observed wildlife, specifically birds.
His artistic influences are Max Ernst, Victor Brauner, Leonora Carrington, and Horst Antes. These surrealists’ landscapes influenced the landscape and backgrounds in his own artwork. Many surrealist paintings have the dream-like images and mysterious feelings that he wanted to portray in his work. The birds of Max Ernst and Victor Brauner added to his fascination with birds. In Robert's work, landscapes are whimsical environments for his birds. In this imaginary landscape, birds take on the narratives of humans. |