Painting as illusion or not
by Kristine Ann Aro
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts
Montana State University
© Copyright by Kristine Ann Aro (1984)
Abstract:
no abstract found in this volume PAINTING AS ILLUSION OR NOT
by
KRISTINE ANN ARO
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
of
Master of Fine Arts
■MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Montana
March 1984
Arlpr
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AiTN rx Z-J
ii
APPROVAL
of a thesis submitted by
Kristine Ann Aro
This
thesis has been read by each member of the thesis
committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding
content, English usage,
format, citations, bibliographic
style,
and consistency,
and is ready for submission to the
College of Graduate Studies.
Graduate Committee
Approved for the Major Department
Approved for the College of Graduate Studies
Date
iii
STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE
In presenting this thesis.in partial fulfillment of the
requirements
for
University,
I
available
a
master 1s
agree
that
degree
the
at
Library
to borrowers under rules of the
quotations
from
Montana
shal I
State
make
Library.
this thesis are allowable without
it
.Brief
special
permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source
is made.
Permission for extensive quotation from or reproduction
of this thesis may be granted by my major professor,
his
absence,
opinion
by
of either,
the Director of Libraries
Any copying or use of the material
the
in
thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without
my written permission.
Signature _____
Date
in
in
the proposed use of the material is for
scholarly purposes.
this
when,
or
3 / ^ 9
Q.,
Ckw
I
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
When
I
began to consider painting
seriously,
excited by the late 19th Century idea of pictorial
played
way of working in which
I
patterns over areas of the paper,
would
of
torn
started
paper
to
would be used to
incorporate
small
make
pieces
I later
intricately
then splash
and paint across the image and tear it apart.
was
illusion
against the two-dimensional picture plane.
developed . a
paint
I
water
These scraps
finished
work.
of
in
wood
I
these
paintings and gradually began to work with wood alone.
The
material nature of wood allows me to reuse it
and
it
deterioration.
Its
natural character gives me a base from which to start.
Two-
re-paint
dimensional
numerous
problems
times
are
without
expanded:
physical
sculptural
concerns are pitted against the illusionism of painting.
The
physicality
dimensions.
of wood includes both two
and
three
in my work I reverse the natural role of these
elements.
Three-dimensional parts are incorporated into the
pictorial
illusion
plywood).
At the same time, I use framing devices and rough
edges
reiterate
to
objects.
I
background
the fact that the paintings
(thin
are
also
thickly paint separate wood elements the
same
color and texture,
piece
of a two-dimensional
fabricating a unified surface.
comes together,
it creates an illusion that
When the
negates
2
its three-dimensionality.
While
I constantly make use of these ideas,
significant
made.
that
the
most
aspect of my art is the process by which it
is
It has been said that I "cannibalize" my pieces, but
term
is
too grisly.
process
reincarnation.
I
work.
parts are recycled, . they
As
the
use
I see my
personal found objects,
painting
pieces
to
another
previous
surfaces
and
existence.
one
parts of older paintings in my
become
and revealing clues
to
Nails,
plain rough wood
the
all
suggest
reflect
facility,
such
may
some
function
These small parts,
with
one
globs.of glue,
The wood parts assume a new
process
new
earlier
and a new image with each piece.
the
of
entirely
reflecting the transition from
(from which they are made).
painted
as
which
be
more
important than the finished paintings themselves.
■ It
is
identity.
the process that gives my work
wood and sits on the surface.
is
sculptural
The paint actually becomes part of the structure:
a binder that pulls parts together,
wood
its-
exposed,
lies between layers
As parts are pried off,
reminding the viewer of
the
of
raw
underlying
materials and structural reality of the painting.
My
work
may
look precious:
'objectness',
and
the rich detail and color lend
conclusion.
ongoing
But
the
small
scale,
to
the look of my work is the result of
process of destruction and reincarnation;
and
the
this
the
the
ostensible ■1preciousness' is an illusion denied by knowledge
3
of this process.
I . approach
final
certain
work.
each piece with the intent of
statement at that point in time.
period,
I
decide
I
However,
after
a
a
step back to re-evaluate
the
finished
whether the paintings have
the
presence
which I first intended.
become
creating
Those that do are left intact; they
metaphors for the way I work.
Those paintings that
do not withstand this scrutiny continue to be dismantled and
eventually
re-used;
examples of my process.
they
become
active
and
temporal
4
The
exhibition
paintings
are
and
objects
untitled.
following fifteen slides.
They
included
are
in
the
documented
thesis
in
the
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