MODULAR22

MODULAR22 Artist Profile - Melissa Urbonas


Website
www.melissaurbonas.tumblr.com
www.etsy.com/shop/melissaurbonas

Favorite Color:

Green

Where were you born/raised:

Born in Joliet, IL

Raised in Darien, IL

Education:
B.F.A, Painting and Drawing, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2005
M.A.T, Secondary Education, Roosevelt University, 2011

Describe your work in 140 characters or less:
My work is a series of explorations into the way that I interpret the landscape around me. Growing up surrounded by the open farming fields of the Midwest, the vastness of space and the dominating presence of the horizon line has influenced both my perception of the world and my emotional attachment to place. I am interested in investigating the feelings and nostalgia associated with place - specifically, as it relates to the natural landscape. This stems from a desire to provide a common expressive ground for both the outer perceptual world and the inner personal world. I am enthralled by the range of emotional and psychological responses that we as humans have towards our various environmental stimuli. Impressions, feelings, and memories that I have connected to the natural landscape motivate me to articulate meaning from the surrounding world.

Current obsessions (art, design, music, movies, whatever, ectetera):

Art: Experimenting with incorporating Dorland's Wax Medium into my oil paintings; looking at American Folk & Outsider Art.
Music: Listening to "Fear Fun" by Father John Misty
Movies: Scratching all of Ingmar Bergman's films off of my to-watch list.
Television: Watching "The Walking Dead" and catching up on past seasons of "Breaking Bad".

Favorite piece/project you’ve done (send pic):
My favorite piece that I have done thus far is Plateau (Oil on Canvas, 36" x 36", 2010). It is a piece that still feels fresh to me. When I look at it, I don't want to change anything about it. For me, that's a rare feeling.

Tell us about the piece(s) you created for MODULAR22:

When I was invited to participate in MODULAR22, I knew that I would create a piece reflective of my adoration for the landscape. I also knew that I would create my piece using mixed media (in this case paper, glue, acrylic paint, oil paint, and wax medium). However, both the size of the panels for MODULAR22 and the overall format of the exhibition proposed new and interesting challenges for me. I had never created a painting on a panel of this shape. I also had never created a painting that functioned as part of a three-dimensional standing structure. Lastly, I generally do not work solely in black and white. All of these factors forced me to step outside of my comfort zone. I was intrigued by the opportunity to be able to do so.

Upon completion of my panel, I felt very pleased with my imagery (a depiction of a certain fondly-remembered mountainous stretch of Kentucky), but I wasn't sure if my feelings would change once my panel was installed alongside the works of dozens of other artists. Alas, once I viewed the exhibit, I was happy with my piece and I appreciated the variety that each artists' individual panel contributed to the exhibit. MODULAR22 is truly a unique exhibition and I am thrilled to be a part of it!