New Today!!!!!!!!!!! Come By Squires

Pop Up Art Event

Artist:  Martha Olson

Title:     Restoration of the Paper Trail

Media:     1760 Yards of Tape, 10,500 shredded pages
                    from VT offices, Magazines and Catalogs



Martha’s Artist’s statement

Once upon a time, but not so long ago, a skinny, wild-haired girl from Morgantown, West Virginia discovered art in third grade. Instantly her world expanded beyond climbing trees, running with the wind, and throwing rocks with the neighborhood kids.  This girl was me!

Art was considered an important part of ‘rounding’ out my education, but my family did not encourage me to pursue art as a career.  So I forged ahead in more acceptable college studies although I still longed to in be in the world of making art.  Now, after many years of professional work and raising a family, I have time for fulfilling my long desire to create art.  But I had another problem! What to do?  What medium?  Where to begin?  Well…why not apply the Martha approach to solve the problem.  Jump in with two feet and swim.  I took classes and explored various mediums to find a fit that was good for me; there was clay which looked like mud to me. Then there were watercolors which made more mud. Next was stained glass which was way too sharp and I seriously cut myself…which was followed by welding.   I loved welding, but it was too heavy.  And yes I even tried basket weaving!  It was only by accident that I stumbled into the medium of paper and I knew the search was over and the fit just right.



Curator's Note:  This event is sponsored by Perspective Gallery Squires Student Center Virginia Tech and will be on display until at least March 19th.  Pix to follow.

Robin Boucher, Curator