Eileen Downes
|
Eileen Downes STATEMENT What does it mean to be a “layerist” painter? My collage artwork is composed of many layers, each significant in the process of my art making. I use bits of torn magazine papers as my “palette of paint” working the image by adding and subtracting tonal values of this paper until I create the effect that I desire. Words, phrases, and imagery from the materials that make up the collage become visible upon close observation of the work adding to the meaning of the piece. I am continually amazed by specific words that appear almost magically between the torn edges as if they are themselves part of the creator of the artwork. Often I use unusual collage materials such as band-aids, maps, gum and candy wrappers, heirloom family photos, and sentimental letters from which to create my layered images. I hope you enjoy looking at my artwork as much as I enjoy making it. BIO Sacramento, California, collage painter, Eileen Downes was always drawn to art. She pursued a career in graphic design and scientific illustration working for a local civil engineering firm. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Studio Art from California State University, Sacramento, and a Graphic Design Certificate from the University of California at Davis. She has developed a unique artistic style utilizing the medium of collage and specific layering techniques. She married her high school sweetheart, and they have three daughters. Eileen comments upon her personal life: “It is the process of creating visually pleasing or intellectually stimulating artwork that is most personally fulfilling for me as an artist; likewise, it is the process of experiencing a creative life as a woman, wife, mother, and daughter that is the most fulfilling for me in spirit. I thank the Lord for giving me the gift to create artwork and to share it with others.” Her work can be found in galleries across the United States, the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas, and corporate and private collections. ARTIST CONTACT (916) 761-0510 IMAGES
|
