Jamieson Thomas
The Language of Flowers
in the alt_space:
On Exhibit: March 4 - April 15, 2017
Opening reception: Saturday, March 4, 4-7pm
Artists Talk: Friday, March 24, 11 am
Artist Statement:
This interdisciplinary installation uses flowers as a metaphor for life. Paintings are juxtaposed with mixed media assemblages and sculptures suggesting conversations or narratives, without insisting on them.
The artist considers the life cycle of the flower in comparison to human life and the beauty in all its stages. The ways in which we interpret the world around us are reflected on multiple canvases presenting divided views of the whole. Through these works, the artist explores not only the history of flowers in our culture, but the many layers of meaning found in both flowers and language, and the complex relationships they have in nature and our lives
Life size figures with flower heads covered in black and white text, include lyrics from songs, poems and quotes stressing that the world and our relationship to it and in it, is anything but. What we say and what we mean is never black and white; but full of gray, leaving room for dreams, confusion, and discussion.
The paintings, vivid and colorful, sometimes incorporate text are painted from different perspectives, emphasizing the different viewpoints, observations and frames of reference from which one sees, not only flowers, but the world. The viewer is encouraged to stop and think about the underlying meaning of things, through examination of details, beauty, color and contradictions within our culture.
The mixed media assemblages incorporate mirrors, text, paintings, and photographs allowing for reflection, and encouraging questions. Where did this flower come from? How was it created? Where was it grown, and how did it come to be in my hands? What is the meaning behind the gift of the flower? What is the symbolism? If I garden, does it help me slow down and escape the constant flow of information allowing me to reflect?
About the Artist:
Jamieson Thomas is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Central Florida, working primarily in painting and sculpture. She is currently an MFA candidate at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. A lover of linguistics, she frequently incorporates text in her work in order to deepen her message. With a focus on nature and portraiture, she explores the relationship between the artificial and natural worlds. Her new work is unique and sometimes edgy, weaving a lifetime of captured photographs into new technologies and art practices. She researches her subject matter extensively as she explores the effects of humanity on our environment, and media and social pressures on individuals. She has exhibited extensively in Central/South Florida and New York.