Elaine Luther

Elaine Luther
River Forest, Illinois, USA

STATEMENT

Motherhood, art, death. It’s all tied up for me.
My brother Joe died during “the time of death.” That’s what we call it. In fifteen months, eight beloved people—family, friends, an infant—died.

For a while, my husband and I would say, “It can’t get any worse.”
Then it would get worse, so we stopped saying that.

In 2005, my baby daughter died.
Before I had kids, I had lots of time, but nothing to say. Now, with three kids, I have no time, but I have something to say, and I’m not afraid. There’s tremendous power in tremendous loss. I see the little bits and pieces left behind at the playground—a barrette, a pencil, a scrap of ribbon. Who left it? Did they notice it was gone?

I see the mystery of a little piece of a broken toy, how it becomes unrecognizable. What is it? What was its purpose?

Ordinary things like a bread tab inspire a new design in my jewelry. These are the things that make up my daily life as a mom—bread tabs and lost barrettes and parts of broken toys.

I find meaning, and solace, and remembrance in the ordinary things that are left behind.

BIO

Elaine Luther is an artist whose work explores death, motherhood and doing the dishes. She finds that the more honest she is in her art, the more others can connect with it. Her art has been exhibited nationally and internationally, notably in Chicago at Woman Made Gallery and in London. Solo shows include Harold Washington Library, West Englewood Public Library and multiple micro-galleries, including two in the United Kingdom. She lives in Chicagoland with her family, where she’s also the gallerist for a series of 12” x 12” box galleries where she puts on shows of miniature art.

ARTIST CONTACT

[click to email]
www.elainelutherart.com

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