Virtual Exhibit


FEATURED ARTIST

Liz Sherwyn

Liz Sherwyn ARTIST STATEMENT

In her newest artwork, Liz Sherwyn attempts to capture the sensory experiences of the ocean. The coastline provides an endless supply of textures and sounds - the unrelenting wind, ever-present white noise, sand, and seaweed. Armed with her X-Acto knife, Liz carves sea life from paper. Each fish, bird, or creature is carefully drawn, then cut, leaving only line to express the form and movement of the animal. For the backgrounds, Liz plays with watercolor, attempting to mimic the calm, yet unpredictable coastline. Each painted background began with a process of experimentation - adding and removing pigment, allowing streams of water to blend and dry together, and creating unique textures through the use of salt, alcohol, and a number of various techniques. The combination of precisely cut paper and experimental watercolor painting feels similar to the structure and chaos of our own everyday experiences.

BIO

Liz Sherwyn grew up in Bakersfield, CA, to an artistic family. At an early age, she was exposed to various aspects of art, and given tools to create anything she pleased. Her family frequented art galleries and museums, allowing her and her brother the artistic culture that, at the time, this community lacked. After high school, Liz focused on art at Bakersfield College, taking figure drawing, ceramics, photography, and jewelry classes. She spent two summers in upstate New York teaching art in a summer camp, then moved to Portland, Oregon where she experienced being part of a heavily artistic community. Liz returned to Bakersfield with a new understanding of what a thriving art community needs. Liz strives to promote artistic understanding and appreciation for all-ages in her community through her past work, collaborations with other local artists, and in her current job teaching art at Foothill High School in Bakersfield.

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