Emily Bartletta

http://emilybarletta.com/home.html

American based artist who obtained a B.F.A. in Fibre Arts from The Maryland Institute College of Art 2003

Artist's Statement

 

My art began as a way to filter pain out of my body through my hands. The tedious and meditative processes of crochet and embroidery helped me to be mindful and present while carrying on. Since then each day has become a project in counting the hours and my artwork has become a record for the passage of time and events that occurred therein.
The repetitive gestures, marks, and shape building techniques accumulated and combined in mass create larger works. However I try to focus on the individual movement as it is happening and not plan what a piece will look like in the end. The materials have a way they want to naturally move and grow. It is futile to try and work against them by planning. I view each object I make as a physical container instilled with the memories and experiences that occurred while it was being made. Through my art I create imaginary machines that organically grow and pattern to reference flesh, blood, muscles, cells, plants, topography, molds, and diseases.
These artworks attempt to evoke emotions relating to pain, love, loneliness, and endurance. They attempt to dislodge and find comfort in the things you cannot recover from; the things that are waiting in the dark when the quiet nighttime comes rushing in.