MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 16, 2021
This week we recognize the work of artist Mimi Graminski.
"The majority of materials in these works are inspired by and derived from plant-based sources, all of which stem from the process of photosynthesis – creating energy, nourishment and growth from light. In my work I am using materials that were all born from this process - logs from trees, (drawings of) leaves from plants, and paper made from cotton and rice. After their growth process and harvest, the materials find renewed life in their cross pollination incorporated into these site-specific installations.”
"During these past spring and summer months at home I have found myself drawn to the forests, and with my interest in materials, I have found a huge resource in the natural environment. In my study of leaves (found and cultivated) I have been examining light, shadow and color by using pencil, watercolor and video. I celebrate the differences and commonalities that the leaves all share."
Above is an image from Graminski's installation Post Photosynthesis at Window on Hudson in Hudson, New York.
"Trees felled in a storm gave me an abundance of raw material. I use the cut logs and combine them with cotton lace, collected from many sources, to create an installation that honors both the trees and the lace makers. I pay tribute to the lace makers, their labor and the energy they imbued into each stitch. I wonder about their lives and under what circumstances did they create this work? Was it a labor of love or necessity? Their lace has outlived them just as the logs will outlast the intricate stenciled patterns on them. I honor the fleeting and enduring quality of both women's labor and the natural environment."
Pictured above is a work from Graminski's series Angle of Repose; Dawn to Dusk. In this series, the artist begins with locust trees, which were felled due to old age. She places the 12 foot logs so that from a distance, they appear to be randomly stacked, but are carefully balanced upon each other so the ends face east and west. Upon closer inspection they present an unexpected surprise as their cut ends are covered in gold leaf and crocheted wire which are alternately illuminated by the rising and setting sun.
Mimi Czajka Graminski is a multi-disciplinary artist working in a variety of media - sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, photography and video. Her work is wide-ranging, and is consistently based in the exploration of materials, light, and color. Most recently, she has exhibited at Smallbany Gallery in Albany, New York, at Window on Hudson in Hudson, New York, and will participate in the 2021-2022 Fresh Winds International Art Biennale Residency in Iceland. mimigraminski.com
Featured Images: ©Mimi Graminski, Post Photosynthesis, Outdoor Interventions, and Angle of Repose; Dawn to Dusk
Above: Mimi Graminski/Photo: Eleanor Zelek
