Lisa Messersmith-Weaver
Images
About the Artist
Artists Statement
Critical Essay Aimone
Q&A
About the Artist
Lisa Messersmith Weaver graduated from
Stetson University with a BA in Art and a BA in Psychology in 1988. Her interest in arts
education and fine art production lead her to develop a dual career in
the arts. As an arts educator she began implementing children’s arts
programs at the DeLand Museum of Art in 1989. Messersmith Weaver
organized children’s education programs, adult art workshops and
assisted with the curation of exhibitions at the DMA until accepting a
position with Atlantic
Center for the Arts in 1995. As the
Atlantic Center for the Arts at Harris House Manager, Messersmith Weaver implemented
numerous youth arts-based educational programs including Family Art
Chronicles, Threads of History and the first Children’s Theater
Production. In 2002 Ms. Messersmith-Weaver accepted a position with
the City of Ormond Beach as the
Community Program Coordinator / Ormond Beach Police Athletic League
Director. As the OBPAL Director, Ms. Messersmith Weaver has the
opportunity to assist youth enhance their self-esteem and self
confidence through the development of educational, cultural,
recreation and athletic programs.
While Ms. Messersmith-Weaver developed
her career arts education and arts program administration, she also
began an exploration of the creation of monotype prints and mono-type
print assemblage sculptures. Her printed paper sculptures were first
exhibited at the DeLand Museum of Art in 1990 in a group exhibition
with paper artists Akiko Sugiyama, Michel Tiguel, Peggy Banks, and
Jane Jennings. Since her first exhibition, Ms. Messersmith - Weaver
has received numerous awards for her sculptural prints. Her work have
been featured in group and solo exhibitions through out Florida
including the Boca Museum of Art, Stetson University, the Jacksonville
Museum of Art, the Deland Museum of Art, the Orlando City Hall
Terrace Gallery, the Daytona Museum of Art, and Capitol Gallery in
Tallahassee, Florida. Ms. Messersmith’s works are included in the
collections of the Daytona Museum of Art and Sciences, Stetson
University, Valencia Community College, the Images Arts Festival
Collection, the City of Orlando, and numerous private collections.
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Artist Statement
An exploration of spiritual journeys
is the dominant theme explored by my sculptural and two dimensional
works. In my earlier pieces each temple or vessel-shaped form
represented a portrait of an individual whose spiritual journey was
intertwined with my own path toward spiritual enlightenment. A
personal symbolic vocabulary is explored on the surface of each
sculptural form. The symbols are drawn from childhood memories, my own
Christian belief, and relationships with individuals who have guided
me on my own spiritual quest. The symbols printed and carved on the
outside of my sculptural forms reflects the challenges, conflicts and
joys experienced as we journey through our lives Each sculpture
symbolically represents the human body as a protecting structure for
our spiritual essence. The interior of the sculpture reveals a symbol
for continued spiritual growth. In my earliest works ladders, winged
chairs and carved flames were placed inside the temples as symbols of
reflective spiritual growth. My more recent bronze and copper vessels
house seed-like forms representative of spiritual birth.
My two-dimensional works explore our
quest for spiritual enlightenment in a less symbolic narrative. The
Annealment Chronicles are icons journaling the
conflicts, challenges, and doubts we encounter in our search for
spiritual guidance. The angel-like being is a symbol of our struggle
to accept spiritual peace through trust and faith. The thorns crowning
the head reveal man’s need to over analyze, worry and fret during
times that challenge our faith. Ropes binding the legs of the figures
represent our inability to trust in God and move forward. Often our
need to control each aspect of our lives overwhelms our spirit and
leaves our spiritual essence stuck in a place of depression, anxiety
and anger. Wings have replaced the arms representing our ability to
find a peaceful spiritual path through the strengthening of trust and
faith. While the figures appear to be lost on their quest for peace,
each is washed with a light of spiritual warmth offering continuing
hope, renewal of faith, and strengthening trust.
My love of printmaking techniques is
explored in all of my works. The monotype assemblage pieces are
constructed of monotype prints created on an etching press through
reduction and relief printing techniques. The prints are then adhered
to the surface of the sculptural form yielding a three dimensional
printed assemblage. Linoleum print techniques are incorporated in the
development of the surfaces for the bronze Fire Seed
vessels. Once the bronze is cast multiple layers of colored pencil are
used enhancing the narrative story on each piece. An exploration of
etching techniques allows the creation of the symbolic narrative on
the surfaces of my copper vessels and the Annealment Chronicles.
Once the etched plate is finalized color pencils are used to complete
the work.
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Critical Essay
by Steven Aimone
Artist, author,
independent curator
This recent body of works by Lisa Messersmith-Weaver stands as a
milestone … a significant moment in her artistic evolution. Composed
of carved and embellished copper printmaking plates, these evocative
altar-like pieces incorporate motifs and utilize processes that the
artist has patiently developed over time.
Those familiar with her work will recognize her focus on life’s
spiritual journey. Signature motifs from previous work abound: the
cross as a symbol for spirituality, thorns as metaphors for
resistance to transcendence, the hut or vessel shape as
protective container, and repeated linear patterning
representing diverse spiritual pathways.
In
this work, the artist still employs these metaphorical symbols, while
being more direct. For the first time, the focus is on an exposed
human figure, endowed with wings. This embodiment of the artist
appears capable of making its way more independently, illuminating her
own journey toward transcendence:
The earlier work was more about a
shared experience with others. This new work is about my own journey,
about things interior and transcendent.
‑LMW
The
work shows a high level of technical and formal accomplishment.
Intimate, small-scale pieces invite close scrutiny of technique as
well as an emotional response. Notice how expressive interlocking
shapes elegantly relate to one another. Deftly hatched and
crosshatched colored pencil lines create rich, subtle textures
reminiscent of things ancient and mysterious. These areas contrast
with neighboring passages of quiet darkness.
In essence, the
artist’s mature visual language is evident in these formal
arrangements that are beautifully wed to a deeply reflective
narrative.
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Questions and Answers
Q: Whether
working in 2D or 3D, or you begin your art making process by sketching
or just working directly with the material and see where it leads you?
All of my works begin with a
preliminary sketch indicating basic, symbols, shapes, lines, and forms
that I feel will best express the idea I am exploring in the work of
art. Often I include written notations in the sketch such as series
titles, print colors and print making methods needed to finalize the
sculpture or print. The sketch is a guide for the final work. As I
begin the development of the final piece I put the sketch aside and
work intuitively on the print or sculpture allowing the piece to
naturally evolve into the final state.
Q: What relationship do you see
between you 2D and 3D work? Are your 2D works offshoots of the
sketching /design process for 3D work or are they their own pieces,
planned and executed separately?
An exploration of printmaking
techniques crosses the boundary between 3D and 2D in my works. Each 2D
and 3D work explores a variety of printmaking methods including
relief, intaglio, and mono-printing techniques. Compositional
development is the distinguishing line between the creation of prints
for sculpture and the creation prints that are left as 2D works.
Multiple prints are created for each sculpture. Each print is planned
with the final sculpture in mind to allow the prints to continue from
plane to plane in harmony. Prints executed as 2D works are
compositionally designed on a single sheet of paper with all elements
needed to convey the story of the artwork.
I have continued my exploration of
printmaking in my recent multi-media bronze and copper works. The
surface images in my sculptures are created with relief printing
techniques. Etching techniques are explored in the development of the
images for the 2D works.
It is difficult for me to completely
separate my 2D and 3D works. While my 2D works and 3D works are
created separately, there is thematic relationship. Often my 2D works
are journals for the 3D works. These 2D journals are created before,
during and after the creation of the 3D work.
Q: What design elements do you feel
are most important in your work- the execution of line or the
application of color, use of texture, space, shape?
Line, shape, texture, space and form
are equally important in the creation of my work. Each element offers
a unique avenue to express the visual vocabulary I am exploring in the
3D or 2D work. Different series of works require a deeper exploration
of one or two elements to convey the message of the work. Color and
texture are more dominant in my early temple sculptures. Currently use
of line and color to create visual rhythm and movement are
investigated in my copper and bronze sculpture and “Annealment
Journals.”
Q: How important is color to you 3D
work?
Color is a very important element in
my work. Color allows my sculptural forms to express a narrative that
compliments the temple or seed shaped form. While I strive to create
sculptural forms that are compositionally strong without color, the
addition of color, symbol, texture, pattern and line allow the
completion of the visual narrative.
In my newest 2D work, color is used to
illuminate symbols and figures in the copper plate. In this way color
is a directional tool allowing the viewer to explore the landscape and
interior rooms in the art work.
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