Author Archives: Patricia Brown

American MUD 2024

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I created the diptych American MUD 2024 in the first week after the November 5thpresidential election. During the election season I explored and honored the Buddhist symbol for the lotus (Kamala means lotus). A Zen verse said, “May we exist in muddy water with purity, like a lotus.” As we entered into #47’s second term, I wondered how I can be a lotus. I needed to paint the mud from my point of view and sorrow as a woman. 

 Panel 1: #47 MUD. 

 I researched the misogynist statements Trump has made – the list is long. Many of these derogatory barbs were about women he was running against. I pressed them with letter stamps into the first panel of mud. 

 Panel 2: MANOSPHERE MUD 

 I researched what was being said in the MANOSPHERE. One phrase “Your body, my choice forever” by Nick Fuentes was viewed over 35 million times, a 4,600 percent increase within 24 hours of the election results. I pressed these words with other comments posted in the same time frame onto panel two. 

 In creating this diptych, I was aghast equally at the influence of our next President’s misogynist words on young men who were empowered to echo him freely and the reception by millions who viewed and retweeted them. 

 It is still challenging for me to view and comprehend the impact of these words, knowing that #47 takes office this month. I will be sitting in silence in front of American MUD 2024 at State of the Art Gallery at noon on January 20th. You are welcome to join me.

At the Crossroads 3

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Featured here are four more collage paintings in the At the Crossroads series which explore how I feel in this time of political upheaval while enduring a pandemic. In each I begin by collaging at least three layers of images, art papers, maps and text. Then I use a power sander to merge the images by revealing partial layers from below. I take time to really look at the resulting fragmented surface, then use acrylic paint to find and further develop the composition. I often repeat this process several times to create both contrasting and cohesive areas. In using this process I am finding solace in making sense and order out of a bombardment of images and messages.

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    At the Crossroads 2

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    This is the second collage painting in a series titled “At the Crossroads”. I was drawn to this form and after painting it for a while and realized it was a symbol for the personal difficulties I am having in making decisions and maintaining hope during this pandemic. It also represents my feelings about the critical juncture we are in as a country economically, environmentally, socially and politically.

    • Crossroad 2

    At the Crossroads

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    This is the first collage painting in a series titled “At the Crossroad”. I was drawn to this form and after painting it for a while and realized it was a symbol for the personal difficulties I am having in making decisions and maintaining hope during this pandemic. It also represents my feelings about the critical juncture we are in as a country economically, environmentally, socially and politically. I am interested in how the orange brought in at the bottom, gives weight and complimentary with blue builds tension. I think this is a symbol I will work with for a while – simple and meaningful.

    From Rags to Stitches

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    My old splattered and smudged paint rags contain a beauty that records years of my studio practice. Now, these cleaning cloths are my teachers—as I stitch, I follow each rag’s texture and design. In honoring the formation of each remnant, I find beauty in what would ordinarily be discarded.

    An article about the Remnant series can be found at https://www.textileartist.org/patricia-brown-from-rags-to-stitches