Julie Armbruster
I am a mixed media painter, working with pigment, charcoal, encaustic, and ink to create a catalogue of images that relate my perceptions. Images are repeated, developing conclusions that point to the unnatural and destructive behavior of humanity, whose collective view insists on being the exception to the laws of nature. My most recent work continues a process of reflection, adding elements of humor and hope.
The characters are disturbed, yet are set in a familiar illustrative context. The combination of layered materials and concentrated attention inextricably link the process of automatic drawing and repetition to the preoccupation with finding meaning and satisfaction in life.
The characters are formed from daily social observations and experiences, and are fed by my own paranoia and curiosity. Faded and dreaming, the characters are embalmed in an encaustic film applied to the surface. This surface echoes the obscuring lens worn by many who have become inured by the life that they are presented. The work serves as a record of my observations and the need to review the examples of absurdity in hopes of avoiding the same fate.
