My newest art piece is on display at the Lewisville Grand Theater.

Title: Family Dynamics

Medium:  Branches, thread

Description: The twisted branches and thread that runs through them represent the roles, relationships and interactions within an extended family. 

My Process:

I like to work intuitively and down to the wire when it comes to art submission deadlines. I like to keep my options open. For example, I finished this art piece 7 days before the submission deadline for the Home exhibit. Once I came up with the title of the art piece, I knew this was the right submission. (For perspective, I had originally planned on a different art piece for Home that I finished months ago)

Materials:

The naturally twisted branches are from a hazelnut tree. The straight branch is from an errant bush that appeared in my backyard. The branches are held together with screws.

I drilled holes throughout the branches and strung green thread through the holes in a “haphazard” manner.

I took Tore Bellis’s advice and added one strand of monofilament thread to the branches. I painted the thread black but left one section unpainted – creating a clear “gap”. This thread symbolizes a break within a relationship in the family.

Bonus:

From the start, I viewed my art piece as performance art. It is meant to be handled. It is like the conch in Lord of the Flies. Or the giant pencil I pass around during my Conversations with Artists events at the Lewisville Grand Theater. Whoever has the conch / giant pencil or the “Family Dynamics” art piece in hand, has the floor to speak.

The dynamics in a family can be complicated – whether in an immediate or extended family. There’s often a patriarch or matriarch that leads, guides, influences the family. That individual may rule with an iron hand – not giving others the opportunity to speak, be heard or feel validated. Or the individual may lead the family with openness, understanding and communication – passing the conch / giant pencil or the “Family Dynamics” art piece from person to person.

When I gave the art talk on this piece in “Conversations with Artists: What were they thinking?” back on May 19th, I picked up the art piece to demonstrate the concept. I held the piece then I passed it from person to person.

Performance art, sculpture and art with meaning – all expressed through a pile of twisted branches.

This one-of-a-kind art piece is available for purchase.

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Exhibit: Home
Location: Lewisville Grand Theater / 100 N. Charles St. | Lewisville TX
Dates: May 11 – June 1, 2024
Art Organization: Visual Art League of Lewisville

Thank you to David Chalker and Crystal Nelson for taking the photos.