ANDREA MORGANSTERN

In my paintings, I fuse elements of the human body, animals and plants into biomorphic forms, using dots as building blocks. I use dots in order to explore ideas about how things really are as opposed to how they appear to our eyes. For example, I reflect on how everything in the physical world is unified, as it is all constructed out of the same atoms and subatomic particles. In addition, using dots allows me to suggest the fluid and impermanent nature of everything in the physical world despite the illusion of solidity and permanence.

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Recurring patterns in nature have always interested me and my work incorporates the pattern that appears in neurons, tree branches and river networks as a major motif. I also explore the fractal nature of the physical world by creating an ambiguity of scale. The use of circles can suggest a glimpse into other realms, such as the view through a microscope or telescope.

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A recurring motif is dots flowing across gaps between forms. This is inspired by Michelangelo’s God Creating Adam as well as photographs of nerve cells firing electrical impulses across the synaptic gap.

 

My process begins with a pencil drawing. I then develop a study on paper using watercolor, gouache and acrylics which I expand into larger scale acrylic paintings on canvas and panel.  Recently, I have begun exploring these ideas in sculpture.

 

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