| Alison Saar's work is poetic and poignant. She draws inspiration from her multicultural heritage and her studies of mythology and folklore. She comes from an artistic family--daughter of well known artist Betya Saar and painter and conservator Richard Saar. During her high school years, Saar worked with her father on his restoration work. This experience allowed her access and exposure to art and artifacts from a wide variety of cultures--Egyptian, Chinese, and African and also taught her the properties of various media, artistic processes, and aesthetics. When attending Scripps College, Saar took more art history classes than studio classes and ultimately ended up graduating with a thesis on Southern African American Folk Art. Saar's use of archetypal and natural imagery conveyed through her rustic and organic style really resonates with me. She makes prints and mixed media work in addition to her sculptural work. Her 2D work often contains the symbolic subjects and dream-like figures as her 3D work, and she will position them side-by-side in a gallery setting. I love the concept of translating sketches, paintings, and prints into large wood and metal sculptures, and I would like to consider juxtaposing sculptures with my figurative mixed media work for future projects. | |
