On Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 11.30 a.m. Joseph Gallivan interviews artist Heather Watkins about her show Elemental Things which is on now at PDX Contemporary Art through Nov. 28. Watkins talks about turning line drawings into sculptures, her method of pouring ink on paper then cutting around the lines, and the values of lines in nature.
This show was recorded on a Zoom H2N recorder on November 2, and edited and engineered by Ray Bodwell https://kboo.fm/blog/55224
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:
Heather Watkins’ work explores the nature and possibilities of the drawn line – materially and symbolically. Working with ink, cord, thread, cloth, and paper, she submits these materials to many cycles of saturation, compression, intertwining, and transference. Through these physical processes, she investigates phenomena such as flow, stasis, circulation, and gravity. Her work takes many forms: sculpture, drawing, text-based work, printmaking, and artist’s books.
Her work has been shown in numerous exhibitions, at venues including: PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, OR; Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR; Planthouse Gallery, New York, NY; the lumber room, Portland, OR; Front of House, Portland, OR; The Art Gym, Marylhurst, OR; and Nine Gallery, Portland, OR. Her work is held in private and public collections including the Portland Art Museum, the Miller Meigs Collection, the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Portable Works Collection, the Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer, Portland State University, Reed College, and Rhode Island School of Design Artist’s Book Collection. She has been the recipient of grants from Oregon Arts Commission, The Ford Family Foundation, and Regional Arts & Culture Council, and has been awarded residencies at Caldera; Sitka Center for Art & Ecology; Oregon College of Art and Craft; and at Em Space Book Arts Center. Watkins holds an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, and is represented by PDX CONTEMPORARY ART.
Statement
My work is process-oriented, rooted in materials-based working methods that allow me to explore physical and psychic phenomena such as flow, stasis, circulation, time, and the limits of sensory perception. The incremental, serial nature of the objects I make is driven by the desire to understand how line evokes form and creates meaning while remaining resolutely abstract.
https://pdxcontemporaryart.com/heather-watkins
Money money money
It's fall pledge drive time and we need your money. KBOO is 55 years old so we are targeting $55k.
Art Focus on K-B-O-O Portland is the show where artists talk about their work. I want to remind you that KBOO is a volunteer-powered community platform. That means we are funded by you, the listener.
If you are enjoying the program, please show your support by making a contribution today, or better yet become a monthly sustaining member.
Just go to kboo.fm/give or text K-B-O-O to 44-321."
To hear previous episodes of Art Focus or any of our KBOO public affairs programming, just go to KBOO dot F-M or listen on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Joseph Gallivan has been a reporter since 1990. He has covered music for the London Independent, Technology for the New York Post, and arts and culture for the Portland Tribune, where he is currently a Feature Writer. He is the author of two novels, "Oi, Ref!" and "England All Over" which are available on Amazon.com
- KBOO