It's all a bit Technicolor
It's all a bit Technicolor features painter Donna Sensor Thomas and sculptor Kathleen Studebaker. In this exhibition, Donna and Kathleen offer unique points of view as both artists highlight color contrast through metalsmithing and painting. Donna employs vibrant colors, with a focus on human vitality, creating a super sensory experience. With sharp, bold lines and geometric movement, Donna dives into what feels like a motion picture, magnifying the sights, sounds, and overall surrounding environment. Kathleen stays true to metal's natural tones, creating distinct objects that sit in a frozen yet transformative state. Her work tells an unspoken narrative, touching on astronomy and universal concepts, whilst leaving room for a bit of mystery and room for questioning. In this exhibition, each artist has a unique conceptual approach, strips it down to its bare bones, and then rebuilds it in a prism of colors and contrast.
Donna Sensor Thomas
Bio
Donna became interested in art at a young age and created her first pieces as a child. By the age of 10 she was haunting art museums, favoring modern art paintings. She continued to create art through high school.
Donna graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in philosophy. After graduation, she pursued a computer career and worked in that field for 12 years.
Travel to Italy and the purchase of a house re-ignited Donna's interest in art and created an interest in interior design. After 3+ years of intense study, Donna earned an M.S. in interior design from Drexel University. Her Master's Thesis was "Practical Grace: The Functional Aesthetic of Everyday Interior Objects Created in the Scandinavian and Japanese Traditions."
When the time came to seek employment in the interior design field, Donna found herself soul-searching. She realized that what she enjoyed most while in school were her art classes. So she decided to pursue painting and collage, working out of her studio in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
Donna lives with her husband, John. They share their lives with Duncan, a dachshund-mix.
Statement
“When I think of my art, one word comes to mind: vitality. I believe vitality is the best essence of a human being. Not only do I strive to infuse my artwork with vitality through explosive color and movement, but I also try, through art, to instill myself with vitality. Just as we experience joie de vivre when we feel our most vital, so too do I experience the joy of life when painting, and I intend my paintings to reflect this joy.”
Kathleen Studebaker
Bio
Kathleen Studebaker is a multi-media sculptor focusing on wood, metal, cast plastic and a variety of other materials. She is a fabricator and all-around tinkerer with a great love of detailed fabrication and problem-solving. She makes every element of each of her works by hand (no CNC or lasers; no found-objects). Her work often references the far-flung future, or perhaps alternate realities, and is inspired by astronomy, narrative fantasy, and the intersection of digital technology with mechanical function. Aside from her art, Kathleen has an (potentially unhealthy) interest in order and organization, and busies herself with (a possibly inordinate amount of) customization of personal items: from clothing to storage solutions & furniture. She earned her MFA in sculpture from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL in 2013, and is currently working as a studio artist based in Philadelphia, PA. To learn more about Kathleen and her work, visit her website at www.KathleenStudebaker.com, or follow her Instagram @KathleenStudebaker_art.
Statement
"Sometimes the pieces I create tell a story, more often they exist inside the context of one. I make objects that belong somewhere else, and have a story of their own. I consume narrative fantasy voraciously and have always been fascinated by the idea of a post-paradigm shift future, and what it may hold. I am also interested in (amateur) astronomy; our seemingly infinite universe and all its mysteries. Learning about the life-cycle of stars, or looking at the incredible new images produced by orbiting satellites, reminds me of how small I am: how narrow my view, how finite my nature. I know that I can’t hope to ever truly understand my place in the wider scheme of things. This fact might seem frightening or disheartening, but I use it as inspiration. There are infinite possible stories out there, and as much as I am able, I will use my time here to consume and create as many of them as I can.
The AstroObjects are fantastical gadgets inspired by the building blocks of the universe: from atomic structure to solar systems. They are machines of unknown purpose. Aesthetically, they recall the polished brass complexity of antique astrological instruments. I’ve always been visually and conceptually drawn to the mechanical, and fell in love with gears as powerful symbols of purpose and potential. Every element of each sculpture is made entirely by hand and the natural color of each type of metal is utilized with purpose; gradating from “warm” copper, to “cool” steel (or the reverse). The title of each piece is dictated by a key I created, and each digit within the brackets refers to physical characteristics [size, form, arrangement of elements, order of metals used"
