Artist Statement

After years of not lifting a brush or creatively thinking about what could go on a canvas, I started to wonder how life's experiences, past and
present, would contribute to my entrance back into the world of art. What medium would I use? What artist or societal message would influence my work? These are questions that I pondered as I sought to find out how the years had molded me as a reborn artist.
Once I started to embrace the blank canvas, the primary trait that emerged was allowing imperfection in my work. Some would call it
mistakes, but it is the ability to step back and let the work on the
canvas lead. Allow the crooked lines, deformed shapes, or mirage of colors to dictate the subsequent brush strokes.

As an art teacher, I always told my students that a sheet of paper has a front and back, a pencil has an eraser, and there are no mistakes in a work of art that could evolve into a masterpiece. From the depth of my soul came visions of how each object could become a voice for a message. I have always been intrigued by the use of masks in various cultures. The symbolic and ritual messages illustrated through colors and shapes communicated a unified language.

The paintings in this series speak to the myriad of societal issues that exist as we navigate in this world. They communicate
the social and emotional needs of individuals who feel unaccepted and unappreciated. Each piece represents how embracing diversity is also an acknowledgment of our own immortality.
 

 

 

 

-F. Maxine Fantroy-Ford, Ed.D., 

 

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