Robin Ross: Reader’s Art 12 Longing For Home

Reader’s Art 12: Longing for Home

Robin Ross  Aerie and Prayers of Being Winged 

Home to me as the person Robin is very much about belonging to the community.  Practicalities such as structure and spirituality both occur and can enhance our belonging.  Home to me as the creature Robin, or as any other bird, is about flying and looking below and above, about survival, wanting long life for the continuation of my species.  As a creature I am always connected to my environment – questions of spirit and belongingness don’t occur. 
 
I am a painter. I paint paintings and sometimes re-create old unwanted books through the use of carving and painting and drawing. Book as an object and art allows me to enhance what already exists.  I’m both playful and serious when using serendipity and precision in cutting, manipulating, collating, and painting. The books are unique, and usually graffitied, foxed, water damaged, or otherwise unwanted. This combines my love of language with visual and sensual art. Often the old paper, the smell, and the description of knowledge and poetry inspire what I paint; inversely, what I paint may evoke more writing.  In the case of these bird books, there is very little word-formed writing other than bits of asemic chicken scratch. 
 
Each book is given new life. Previous words and images peek through or are covered with layers of paint. Each original page is inclusive of what I am painting. It folds and opens; containing a  time past below the surface of the present story I put upon it – each embellishment places history upon history. The changing nature of the paper and print underneath the actual oil paint and ephemeral chance are part of the character of each book. 
 
Reader’s Art 12: Longing for Home
March 16- April 26, 2012

About Susan Hensel Gallery – Contemporary Art by Susan Hensel

Opened September 10th, 2004 Susan Hensel Gallery was a gallery/ workspace presenting 5-6 shows per year devoted to the concept of narrative in the arts in an intimate space, with hardwood floors and high tin ceilings. The Susan Hensel Gallery is now both a window gallery on Cedar Avenue, the main thoroughfare in south Minneapolis, and an online venture represented on Artsy.net In March 2013, the interior space reverted to a working studio for Susan Hensel where she continues to work on small and largescale artwork with an attitude. You can find her current work at Susan Hensel Projects. The studio remains open to the public by appointment or chance, on Monday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm.  You are welcome to drop by this gallery/workspace at any time, but a call ahead prevents frustration.

The well-lit Windows on Cedar Project are available to be seen 24 hours a day.