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Liz Zorn's work is a conversation with nature, interrupted
by a shell begging to be the center of attention. It's
gazing at the sky as two meteors fall, one on each side
of you. The impact of her work is strong enough to shake
the most down-to-earth into a fantasy. Or was it a dream?
Liz is a writer and an artist, a woman who chooses
to trust her intuition when it comes to defining the
parameters of her work. So I asked her to write a bit
about a portion of her portfolio for Graphic Design
Basics. The pieces you see here were chosen to help
define the element of texture in illustration. This
specific set was chosen because Liz chose to portray
words, incorporating another element of graphic design
- type. As you look at Liz's work, study the myriad
of textures found and developed throughout her work.
"In this body of work the words themselves dictate
the content of the visual. I chose a Palatino type face
for the words because I like Palatino. I altered it
somewhat, copied it, then altered it again when I created
the stencil for the paintings.
"I follow a basic formula for all of my mixed
media artworks on canvas. Beginning with a selection
of found objects (mostly old metals) I start by laying
them out onto my work table. I use old wood strips to
create a border the same size as my canvas, and working
out from a center line grid I create my composition
of objects.
"When I am comfortable with the composition I
measure out the object placement on my canvas. This
is where it all gets tricky. My foundation is created
by using a mixture of acrylic polymers that are applied
directly to the canvas. The found objects are placed
onto the wet canvas, then additionally secured with
wire when the surface dries.
"When I am placing the objects onto the wet texture
my only guide lines left visible are the ones that run
down the sides of the canvas, so a nice long metal rule
is essential in creating the exact placement. Whatever
lines and smudges created by the rule are touched up
after the objects are placed. Regardless of the size
of the painting, the polymer blend begins to surface
dry and become grainy in about twenty minutes (depending
on heat and humidity). So preparation is the key to
success. I must know exactly what I want, where it will
be placed and the exact measurements for placement before
I begin laying down my foundation. That is why the grid
is so important. it gives me accurate numbers for placement,
that I don't have to second guess as I work against
the clock and the drying time of the acrylics.
"Unlike a traditional painting, I cannot go back
and fix a mistake once the surface dries. If I make
a mistake, I lose the entire canvas. Once the surface
dries, the pieces are painted much the same as a traditional
painting. I use a technique of building layers of color
in washes/glazes. I know that this all sounds cut and
dry, and for the process it is, otherwise I would be
out a lot of time and money.
"The beginnings are always about the idea, and
creating the visual; and as I said before, with the
word paintings the words dictate the visual. I have
no formula for choosing words, they usually choose me.
I just try to do them justice. I will give you a few
examples: With the "BREVITY" painting I knew
that the work had to be light and sparse, yet bold enough
to carry the word., and remain non threatening at the
same time. "FIDELITY" - a word with many faces
- had to (for me) contain an element of balance in an
unbalanced environment. The last and most recent of
the word paintings, "SURRENDER," was a much
larger challenge. By its nature, it contained a lot
of psychological baggage. To be in a confined space
and let go, to trust that the fall would not be harmful."
Fidelity Size: 19" x 41" Mixed mediums on
linen. Oak Frame
Surrender Size: 45" x 50" Mixed mediums on
linen. Oak Frame
Brevity Size: 35" x 43" Mixed mediums on linen.
Oak Frame
Liz Zorn is a multimedia artist and poet. She resides
in the small river village of Morrow, Ohio near the
city of Cincinnati. In recent years her work has been
exhibited in the United States and in Europe, and is
in many private collections around the country. She
is listed in "Who's Who In America", and "Who's
Who of American Women." She is the publisher/editor
of "Mind's Eye," an arts and literature newsletter,
and is a member in good standing with several area and
regional Fine Arts groups.
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