Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1525586
August/September 2024 | maconmagazine.com 125 See it! Macon Arts Gallery (486 1st St.), September 2024. For more information, visit maconartsalliance.org and kdavisart.com. Combining media allows for spontaneous creativity and creates a more dynamic interplay between the piece and the viewer. What inspires you? I am inspired by the historical process of archeology in which layers of time interplay, so the past informs and influences the composition of the present. My works reflect this process by layering colors and materials to depict the accretion of experiences over time. Why do you create your art? Creating art is a way to express myself and connect with others. As the artist, I use the canvas to tell a story, but the viewer brings their own experiences and perspectives to the piece, which influences their perceptions of the piece. In this way, we have a conversation. For example, there is a series of pieces in the show inspired by the bend of the Ocmulgee River flowing through Amerson River Park. This bend is extremely important in Macon's history because it marks the northernmost navigable point in the river. I've repeated the shape multiple times through the pieces, but I think it is ambiguous enough that a person can project a number of meanings onto the shape. Even if a person does recognize the shape, they don't have to understand its historical significance to find a meaning in it. The shape works on its own to create a pattern and define space. This is what I mean by a dynamic conversation with the viewer. I find it very exciting. How does Macon contribute to your work? Macon directly inspires this show. I began thinking about this series during the bicentennial art show last year, which led me to explore Macon's history. Because I moved frequently as a child and young adult, Macon is the first place where I feel a strong connection to place. I bought my first home in historic InTown Macon and raised my family here. When I moved to Macon in 2008, revitalization efforts were underway, and I have seen so much progress and positive change. The connection I feel with Macon and the combination of Macon's history and progress influence my art. The pieces in this show explore Macon's complicated history and ongoing development. This is my home and my community, and I want to invite viewers to explore their own perceptions of the city in these pieces. MEET HER IN THE MAG BEFORE HEADING TO THE SHOW, OPENING SEPTEMBER 6. TOP Circle Game BOTTOM City in a Park Series: Pinecone