One Thing Leads to Another

Bonjour,

This month I completed my full body of work:  Brandi Hofer Artist Statement September 2011

 My work and contemporary process is the by-product of my life experiences. My thought process revolves around color, composition and the process of making the art.  Art making for me is dependent upon the immediacy of the moment. My process describes my mood and perception of self. As a result the work that I am creating is the outcome of my subconscious environment.

Female portraits have been the focus of my artistic practice for many years. Female portraiture I feel evoke a certain emotion that the viewer connects with.

 My primary mediums have consisted of acrylics oils, and mixed media, and now I have been combining all my mediums with encaustic waxes. Currently my process in France is a mixed media of Intaglio prints and highly pigmented chalk pastel on paper.

Studio

Earlier this year after I had spent a month residency at Red Deer College in Red Deer Alberta, someone there suggest I apply to CAMAC a residency in Marnay Sur-Seine in France. At this residency I have the opportunity to spend time with painters, writers, video artists, photographers, and people of the creative trade. I now have the time where their “life” does not interfere with my craft.  This residency is also a place where I can be influence or inspired by other artists and vise versa.

The body of work that I proposed to CAMAC and am now creating is a combination of mixed media female portraits and figurative work. I am basing my portraits on a series of interviews that I have had between Canadian women as well as women that I meet in France. Now in France I will look into why women live where they live, how they got to be here and their family info structures. I am also studying their female relationships with friends, family and how they communicate with one another. I then go on to form a portrait from each individual interview. So far my interviews have been extremely captivating, I am combining the audio interview media with the visual art into a final piece for exhibition.

The Dream Team

CAMAC

Finally this my time here has come to an end here at CAMAC in Marnay Sur Seine France.  How I am going to miss it here. Life has been so pleasant, just the fact the I am in constant company with creative minded friends has been a true pleasure.  I will miss the ease of waking up in the morning to a run through the french country side. To end my run I do yoga by the Seine River on the clover patch, how I will miss the soft feel of them between my toes. I will miss walking barefoot outside, the sun rays on my face, watching the river run slowly from my terrace with a cup of tea. I will miss taking a bike ride to the closest town Nogent to get a fresh baguette with cheese and wine. I will miss painting everyday, to have the release of selfexpression is so important to my daily routine, I did not know I needed it so much.  And most of all I will miss the people and our dinners together every night highlighted with constant conversation and laughter. 

Love and Miss you all,

Brandi

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