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The People’s Choice Award: Stacey Sherman
73: Stacey Sherman
Create a large scale colored pencils series
Stacey Sherman is a visual artist who creates drawings, paintings, encaustic and mixed media art. She is originally from Bennington, VT and recently moved back to the green mountain state after living in Santa Fe, NM for close to a decade. Her work is inspired by the natural world, memories, dreams, and the supernatural.
“The concept of forming a unique world and narrative out of nothing excites me. In my daily life, I think about how there is much more to the world than we are able to see. I mimic this idea in my practice, and I hope viewers also feel that possibility. Although my practice has evolved over time, it has consistently found inspiration in nature, memories, dreams, the paranormal, and parapsychology. Broadly, I embrace the idea of the otherworldly and enjoy inviting viewers to find beauty in the strange.”
Project description
My project is a series of large scale detailed colored pencil drawings. My goal is to have 8-10 completed drawings on large wood panels. The art will vary in size and format. The smallest size will 2’ x 2’ and the largest will be 4’ x 6’. Some panels will be square and others will be shown in both horizontal and vertical formats.
This series will be exploring the theme of magical realism, where reality and the supernatural blur and overlap. Magical realism sets itself apart from fantasy by existing in the contemporary world in which we live. Strange and otherworldly elements are much more believable in these narratives. I will be creating artwork that explores the idea that magic exists even in the seemingly mundane.
To convey this theme, I will be drawing in a realistic style leaning towards hyper realism. The imagery within the work will consist of human and animals figures, juxtaposed in various mysterious settings and environments. I will work from a combination of references, photographs I’ve taken and sketches I’ve prepared. I will use a vary of people as my references for the work, and many of these figures will be portrayed up close in a portraiture style.
Nature will also be an important element in these pieces. I believe nature is a wonderful primal connection to the supernatural. Figures will often be seen surrounded by nature. Plants, insects, and animals exist equally amongst human figures within the space. The settings and environments will have an uncanny feeling to them, inspired by locations where I’ve lived, like Vermont, New Mexico, and Maine.
These drawings will be rich with layers of color, imagery, and meaning. I enjoy playing with symbolism when creating my art, letting the viewer uncover deeper meanings the more they look at the work. With these large detailed colored pencil drawings, I hope the viewer develops their own unique narrative, allowing them to see the mysteries and wonder within our world.
“On the Cusp of Spring”
“The Second Harvest”
“Untitled”
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August 25, 2023