PAST:
POP-UP AT DO RIGHT HALL
110 WEST DALLAS
MARFA, TEXAS
OCTOBER 11 - 13, 2024
OPENING RECEPTION ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, FROM 12PM - 2PM
HOURS: FRI, SAT, SUN FROM 10AM-2PM
UPCOMING:
MCLENNON PEN CO.
2502 EAST 12TH STREET
AUSTIN, TEXAS
NOVEMBER 21 - DECEMBER 7, 2024
OPENING RECEPTION ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, FROM 6PM - 9PM
McLennon Pen Co. Gallery is thrilled to premiere a traveling exhibition showcasing a first look at new collage and resin paintings by artist Ashley Swarts. The exhibition will debut in Marfa at Do Right Hall during Chinati Weekend, followed by a second showing at McLennon Pen Co.'s permanent space in Austin.
Swarts is currently based in Austin but remains closely connected to both Marfa, where she lived for seven years, and her hometown of Las Vegas. These ties inspired the idea of taking her show on the road. She has been deeply influenced by the distinctive commercial signage in each city, where bold graphics and unique typography shape the visual landscape. From vintage light box and neon signs to clever readerboard and marquee messages, the relaxed, quirky, and humorous style of this Southwestern version of street art features a distinct and beloved aesthetic that is reflected in Swarts’ paintings.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Waiting for a Sign is the culmination of thirteen years of collaging and a lifetime of art making. The magazines I collect are magic. Or, maybe the muses choose to play with me through my favorite medium. I let what I find in the pages lead my work. Cutting out each page, I save what I want and discard the rest. Each piece gets filed away by color.
Next I create a stencil version of my subject. In this case, my subjects are broken yet charming road signs. Each shape is plain and rigid, yet filled with an infinity of intoxicating potential.
To begin each shape, I open the folder of the desired color and lay the pieces out on my floor. Then begins the puzzle of fitting them together to fit within the stencil. Chosen by size, shape, and color I am delighted by the imagery that comes together. I am not creating, I am tending the shapes to grow into what they might be. They are wild and grow out of my control, better than I could have imagined.
Once complete, the shapes are layered dimensionally in five to seven layers of clear resin. Wild shapes suspended forever like rare bugs under glass. Many forms come together to create an entirely new subject containing both real and perceived depth.
The images come together to tell a story that can be read differently each time. The initial view of the work shows a broken down but beautiful road sign. As the viewer gets closer to the work it transforms before their eyes morphing into tiny images and scenes. My hope is that this visual experience can draw the viewers into a visual telling of their own stories.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Ashley Swarts (b. 1989, Las Vegas, Nevada) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Brigham Young University. She currently owns and works as an artist at Slowpoke, a hand-poked tattoo shop in East Austin, Texas. Her early collage paintings on board were first exhibited at Parron wine bar in Austin in 2017. The sign paintings featured in this exhibition are being shown for the first time, representing the culmination of eight years of dedicated collaging.