Old Snag, New Flowers 2021
36 inches x 36 inches
acrylic/mixed media collage on panel
 
Teresa Stanley- "My “Greenhouse” series, where I imagine a greenhouse filled with plants largely created from my imagination. I am interested in how plants adapt to changing circumstances within their immediate environment and with this series, I imagine what would happen if plants were isolated in a shelter and left to hybridize and evolve.
 
My work begins with archival watercolor paper that I hand paint in acrylic, using a variety of techniques in order to create interesting textures and patterns. Working intuitively, I cut the paper into shapes and place it on the panel until I achieve a composition that engages me. I try to work with unusual textures and patterns in order to achieve interesting compositional relationships, sometimes adding areas of acrylic paint directly to the panel. The collage pieces are then adhered to the panel using archival PVA glue and are subsequently coated with several layers of matte gel medium with a final coat of UV varnish. The final appearance of the surface is akin to encaustic and is very matte.
 
I enjoy using an intuitive, gestural process that is tempered by my interest in structure and geometry. Thus my work hovers within the realm of abstraction, albeit with some evidence of recognizable forms and shapes."