anteroom
a solo exhibition by Lindy Shewbridge
Statement:
A world within another world. Where one reality, my own, evolves and grows into the reality we all are familiar with. The familiar reality we wake up to and then at the end of the day rest from. While in our reality my space, either in a studio space or outside on a street or in nature, I turn everything off and then allow my hands, eyes, and mind to make. With only the materials around me and no references I turn off all my worries, fears, and all distractions to solely focus on the work and expressing myself. Closed off, I am to mindfully think about each decision I choose while working. By practicing this exercise, I am able to improve and plan the next steps I could take. And then edit, contemplate, and strategize the work.
From the lines drawn to hours mixing paint in preparation, my studio practice evolves every minute. I am interested in my work becoming more of an experience for a viewer and exploring various ways and means on how to introduce my reality into the familiar reality we all know. Figuring how to transfer two-dimensional works into three-dimensional forms has been a course yet learned, but I am met with challenges often. What is met is, to me, viewed as a test or lesson where I gain a new understanding or way to adapt.
The work I am creating now and will be creating in the future will live off and outside of the canvas, panel, and wall. The plan is to continue to build the forms I paint with spray foam carved into shapes I freely make, no shape is exactly the same as the other, to then paint acrylic, enamel, or oil onto with bright vibrant colors. To be able to express my work and myself in this new way is quite freeing because it is a material I can compulsively create as I could with paint. These forms, I am noticing, seem to convey what I have struggled to verbally add. Either as a conceptual thought or perhaps just as an object thoughtfully peering up at a painting they act as a type of companion for you the viewer and myself.
These forms have either stepped out from a painting or awaiting a timely return to the world once they came. No matter their travels, the still championship these forms can quietly offer is possible direction throughout a space of exhibition and maybe even an intervention. By the side of the viewer the forms also act as reminders. We are alone, but never truly. We have ourselves to look to for love and friendship. With these forms, I ask the viewer, who are you? And what is this shape conjuring for you?
Biography
Lindy Marie Shewbridge is an artist who resides in South East Detroit. She was named after the 1930s-40s swing dance the ‘Lindy Hop”. Which is ironic because Her life and her work involves a lot of movement, color, and organic expressions. Lindy discovered immeasurable bliss in painting, drawing, and crafts at an early age. In school she would excuse herself from class to the art room where she felt her time was best spent. From the almighty powers that be, Lindy’s spirited high school art teacher, Hope Palmer confronted Lindy about art and pursuing her endeavors.
Lindy is an Oil Painter that demonstrates a highly developed sense of color, composition and a keen attention to detail. She creates colorful shapes of organic nature that moves across the wall, canvas or panel. These Shapes include hard lines of which seem to shift with movement creating depth and wonder. The Origin of her work derives from her own personal anxieties. As an attempt to alleviate the anxiety, she would soften her mind, and then let her hand play with a pen and a small sketchbook. Lindy translated her playful sketches into paintings as a further pursuit of channeling her anxiety. Focused, Lindy saw herself inward and listened. As time passed, she discovered much of her work reached others in similar ways. This opened dialogs and new friendships, pushing her outward. Shining light on her anxiety.
Although primarily self-taught Lindy is a Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from College for Creative Studies with a high interest in Art History. At College for Creative Studies Lindy gained wisdom, a well fed prolific attitude, and a strong knowledge of mediums from her mentor Gilda Snowden.She paints full-time in a loft/studio. Since October 2016 she has painted two murals, one at Brooklyn Street Local and the other at Baltimore Gallery. Lindy has shown in exhibitions, galleries, and locations; such as Atomic Cafe, Annex Gallery, Baltimore Gallery, Janice Charach Gallery, Tangent Gallery, Detroit Design Festival, Detroit Artist Market, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Ford Field, Whithdel Gallery, and Scarab Club. Lindy was selected to create works of art for the Red Bull House of Art, cycle four, studio residency in Eastern Market Detroit.
Currently, Lindy is teaching three classes at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, working on large scale paintings for upcoming shows, commissions, introducing new mediums to her work, and is currently working on a mural in Corktown, Detroit.