Reflections of Identity

Bob Psalmonds Staff Writer Holly Stephenson is a retired art teacher that uses one of the oldest and most tactile and rudimentary mediums to create her pieces: handmade paper. The Three Rivers resident will bring Reflections of Identity, a mixed media exhibition to Kellogg Community College at the Eleanor R. & Robert A. DeVries Gallery . Mixed with her own photography, historical imagery and poetry, this multi-media talented artist creates works in both two and three-dimensions. All artists hope for a reaction, positive or negative, Stephenson explained. But it ultimately comes down to the experiences of the viewer to derive what they will see as well as how they will interpret my pieces. Stephensons voice is filled with enthusiastic descriptions of how she conceived and completed many of the twenty- five pieces that will hopefully make an emotional connection with those who take the time to attend this display. Paper is formed by simple natural things then manipulated by the artist, Stephenson said. It is a wet and very tactile medium. I occasionally even use a wasp nest mixed with my pulp, which is natures first version of paper. It adds wonderful color and texture to the sheets! Stephenson was a teacher for 38 years and former curator of the Permanent Art Collection at WMU. She developed the curriculum and taught papermaking to art students at Kalamazoo Central High School. She is also an active member of the Kalamazoo Paper Guild. With an Art degree from Western Michigan, Stephenson has continued over the years to create impressive pieces. Many figures of historical significance have been referenced in her body of completed artworks including Amelia Earhart and Joan of Arc. Future pieces in this platter series will be Lincoln, Gandhi, and Sojourner Truth. Many of her recent works incorporate portrayals of social issues or historically relevant events, such as in the More or Less Series pieces. This collage series in shadow boxes reflects her fear of the loss of the physical book to the ever increasing popularity of e-books and computer technology, and culminates in the fourth collage piece which symbolizes the eventual detriment of the book. Her insights, just like her artwork are deep with multiple layers of meaning. Art is very personal to me. Writing and the visual arts are interconnected, Stephenson said. I start most of my pieces for myself, as a way to express my personal beliefs. For Stephenson, each piece means working from concept to physical visual product. Working from her studio to create the paper bases, the works eventually take shape from a variety of pulps and additives. Next comes the assembly process and finding the desired inclusive materials. From a collection of oddities she calls things out of place comes an abundance of objects that may be incorporated in her works, things like old rusted roller skates. Shadow boxes become homes to things that cant be helped by paper. I find items in the weirdest places

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"Reflections of identity" on display beginning February 10th in the Davidson building.

photo by Holly Stephenson

and then try to figure out a way to use them outside the realm of the original owners use, Stephenson said. She explained the skates were found in a field near her home. Though she prefers the individual viewer gather his or her own idea of what she is trying to convey, sometimes written text is incorporated to heighten the importance of a concept. Their existence can last for centuries or very short lived. I like to work in series and to do things in odd numbers. The conception of the work is obviously very powerful to me because Im in them when the piece is born, The artist said. Over time, an art-

ist may lose track of the deeper meaning letting the artwork speak for itself-adding a third party viewer to interpret what the work may say adds an important third dimension to the artistic experience. The haunting photographs snippets of lost moments from the past, frozen in time-take on a presence of their own within the confines of her pieces. Nameless and standing on their own as reflections of an unidentified person, she playfully offers us an uncanny identity. The show Reflections of Identity runs Feb 10 through March 21 with an opening reception Feb. 13 from 4 to 6 pm.