We asked three artists to respond to the notion of “Truth to Materials.”
As a sculptor, I am basically a builder. I need to know what the materials I’m working with can and will do—structurally, mechanically, and aesthetically. Knowledge is liberating, and in the case of my work it allows process to take on a creative role as opposed to strictly a means to an end. The acquired knowledge of materials and different technical processes influences one side of the equation, while the other side is influenced by observation of the natural environment evoking more of a spiritual reality. Forces act on different materials in ways specific to each, and I strive to incorporate this into my work as well. A form once pristine will change over time—fracture, weather, and reveal other characteristics based on its exposure and material makeup. The truth is that the same material can be a shiny, pristine gem at one extreme and a discarded fragment at the other. This range represents a palette from which I choose to pull in the creation of my work. I couldn’t do this if I didn’t understand on some level the essence of the material. Frank Morbillo
Artists prior to the twentieth century made incredibly varied paintings with far fewer choices of materials, just a handful of colors, really, and much cruder brushes than those manufactured today. My experience in art has been that less creates more, and I usually restrict myself to a limited palette of no more than three or four colors. I don’t really understand the term “realism” in painting. Rather than obliterating the brushstrokes, I try to remain truthful to the materials and let the paint look like paint. My figures will never walk off the canvas no matter how much I torture the paint with a fan brush. The challenge is to make paintings that “feel” like the life I experience around me and inside me. Geoffrey Laurence
I believe “truth to materials” is primary to being an artist. It is essential to find the perfect marriage between material, technique and the artistic voice. It is never an arbitrary choice. Artists do not impose themselves upon the materials, but rather enter into their realm and bringing the natural properties forth. I see the world around me in terms of color, light, texture, and line. Fibers, dyes, and the grid of weaving have a unique relationship to these elements. I continue to explore the depths of this connection. Rebecca Bluestone
