Aloma Marquis

Pray/Prey, 2018

Graphite on paper
22 x 18 inches
Not for sale

Artist Statement

From my Depression Era parents I learned the fine art of making do, which in the realm of art means making found images, objects, and ideas that are sometimes radically different, do what they should not be able to do - live together in visually cohesive, stimulating ways. My imagery runs the gamut from naturalistic to completely non-objective and my principle methodology is mixed media collage.
For several years I have been exploring the irony of power in small images that require intimate engagement on the viewer's part. This way of working is a particular challenge when some of the media are paper, soil, and thread. My method of composition is fluid and open structured, meaning that I continually respond to the opportunities and challenges occasioned by the addition, subtraction, and alteration of each element and medium. The source materials determine what methods, media, and techniques I use. 

More often than not, I do not approach the blank page with preconceived notions or ideas, preferring to allow composition and meaning to emerge as I proceed. Also, I do not consider the people who interact with my work to be passive observers, rather, I relate to them as active participants and collaborators in interpreting the work and creating meaning by bringing their own creative agency, intelligence, sense of wonder, and life experiences to bear.

 

About The Artist

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1953 and attended several universities and colleges before graduating with a BA in Political Science and Urban Studies in 1986 from California State University at Dominguez Hills.  After a fifteen year hiatus from art making  in the field of law enforcement, I earned a Master of Arts in Painting with a drawing minor in 2003 and a MFA in the same disciplines in 2005 from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where I subsequently taught studio art, 2-D Design, and Art Appreciation for almost 17 years.

Since retiring in December, 2019 I have begun a new inquiry into the possibility of art, artist, and being an artist whether in the creation of visual art or the act of generating community here in Nacogdoches and globally.