Gwendolyn Plunkett– Artist Statement

A collection is an accumulation of objects, ideas or behaviors gathered systematically or randomly by one person, a group of people or by nature that when observed together impart meaning.

These collections provide pleasure, comfort and information.

Rituals are collections of particular behaviors repeated on a timely basis, usually with some specific outcome in mind.

Skin Deep, Slow Burn and Organic Compounds are new additions to my on-going Ritual & Collections Series. They are visual responses to my continuing interest in things to do with skin in relation to the passage of time, the aging process and ritual. The repetitive mark (holes burned into the surface) used in these works is made with a wood-burning tool. Handmade Japanese and Thai papers are torn, burned and painted with encaustic, (molten beeswax and Damar resin) and then fused to a wood panel with the wax and heating tool.

The surface is worked further with additional burn marks, melted wax and oil bar. In essence, these pieces are non-objective collages, not paintings of skin. The organic translucent nature of the medium, the layering of materials and the repetitive process of burning in the marks, together create tactile skin-like surfaces that suggest and exaggerate, repel or seduce.

Resume

Education

MFA Painting: University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 1998

BFA Painting: University of Houston, Houston, TX 1984

AA Painting: Northern Virginia Community College, Woodbridge, VA 1979

Encaustic Printmaking Workshop, Open Studio, Paula Roland, Santa Fe, NM 2002

Exhibitions

Publications

• Cy-Fair Lifestyles and Home, “Ancient Art Form Sees Revival Due to Ready Availability of Electricity, Encaustic painting dates to 5th century B.C.” Sandra Meineke, July 2009
• Houston Chronicle, Oct. 20, 2005, “Instructor Shares Her Abstract Side,” Kim Hughes
• St. Petersburg Times, “Student Show,” Mary Ann Marger, April 12; 1996
• USF Oracle, “Art with and Attitude,” Jamie Clark, October 20, 1995
• Pensacola News Journal, “Six Women Create Provocative Colorful Show,” Donna Freckman, 1994
• Pensacola News Journal, “Visual Voices I Women’s Art,” Donna Freckman, 1993

Awards

• 2008 Finalist for The Hunting Art Prize
• 1998 Merit Award, La Grange National Biennial, Chattahoochee Valley Art Museum, La Grange, GA. Juror: Siri Engberg (catalog)
• 1998 Honorable Mention, 50OPEN, The Art League of Houston. Juror: Bert Long.
• 1997 Jurors Choice Award, May Show, Arts on the Park, Lakeland, FL
• 1997 Award of Excellence, Arts on the Park; Annual Juried Members Show, Lakeland, FL

Lectures & Professional Activities

• 2007 Encaustics-Then and Now: Presentation and Demonstration as part of the Living with Art Fall Series at HCCS-SW, Stafford, TX
• 2007 Founder and member of TexasWAX/Houston
• 2005 Exhibition Curator: REVISITED; Huong Huynh, Robin Akkerman, John Schiro. Annex Gallery, Houston, TX
• 2005 Encaustic Monotype Demo in conjunction with solo exhibition; Cy-Fair College, Cypress, TX
• 1999 Co-curator: ABOVE CONSTRUCTION, O’Kane Gallery, Houston, TX
  
• 1999 Designer of ABOVE CONSTRUCTION poster and postcard announcement
• 1995 Presentation: (RE)Building the Modern Man, The 3rd Annual Interdisciplinary Graduate Symposium, USF, Tampa, FL
• 1994 Performance: GYNESIS: Performed by Untitled II Group for Semiotics Symposium, University of West Florida and Breaking the Boundaries Juried Exhibition at Art on Tracks, both Pensacola, FL
• 1990-94 Member of Untitled II in Pensacola, FL
  Board member of Art on the Tracks, a nonprofit art gallery, Pensacola, FL

Public Collections

• Cinco Banderas: Pensacola, FL, (Catalog)

Academic Affiliation

• Lonestar College, Cy-Fair, Adjunct Instructor, Drawing, Painting, Design and Encaustics