Bloom, by Sarah Fairchild, is a large three-dimensional abstract bouquet reminiscent of a Dutch flower painting interpreted through a modern lens.
The artist’s blooms are presented in a variety of ways. Some are rendered as realistic flowers such as roses, tulips, and chrysanthemums. Others are simpler and covered in silhouettes of flocked weeds and other botanical forms. This “bouquet” is also dotted with joyful moths, spiders, and other insects that are beneficial to nature. Yards of metallic ribbons spill on the floor and tie the bouquet together. Upon closer investigation, viewers will also notice the ribbons are rose stems as they appear in the winter, beautiful and bare. This artwork represents and celebrates the transitory moments found in nature, such as death and rebirth or winter into spring.
Curated by Common Ground Arts
Commissioned by Arts Brookfield for One Liberty Plaza
One Liberty Plaza
165 Broadway
New York, NY 10006-1404
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
One Pierrepont Plaza
300 Cadman Plaza W
Brooklyn, NY 11201
"Floribunda encompasses the worlds of flora, farming, and fashion while playing with ideas of decoration, beauty, and sensuality. The artist, Sarah Fairchild, grew up in the Midwest surrounded by lush fields and gardens; she connects plants to memories of family and to a deep sense of belonging and purpose. Floribunda is an exploration of the rose and its temporary beauty, representing the struggles and joys within life’s journey. By considering the rose in this unusual way, the artist hopes to arouse a new sense of wonder and connection to the form. The thorns and stems are as beautiful as the blooms, as the artist literally prunes these shapes into a collage of “cut” flowers, an abstract composition reminiscent of Baroque floral paintings.
The artist’s technique involves using silkscreen to print on fabric, then covering them with metallic foils, and adding another layer of silkscreen designs and painting to achieve dramatic effects. Many of the forms are adorned with hand-applied flocking and Swarovski crystals, and the final collage is cut out from the confines of the paper, creating a live edge. The full and prickly organic shapes of these roses—gilded in gem-colored metallic foil—invite the viewer into a lush, secret garden."
Interior (Lobby Display Cases):
Mixed media installation
On View: October 2 – November 15, 2019
Exterior (Retail Storefront):
Vinyl, artwork adapted from the original painting, Green Cabbage Roses
On View: October 2, 2019 – May 1, 2020
Very excited to now be working with Common Ground Arts, "an international arts agency working with adventurous artists and organizations to create engaging cultural experiences for audiences worldwide."
Will announce new projects here as they arise...
"Art for Life is a biennial art auction, created in 1989, that has helped raise awareness and approximately $3 million in funding for HIV/AIDS medical care, prevention, education, testing and advocacy services. The event is not only a celebration of the arts community and Equitas Health’s life-saving work, but also a celebration of life and the artists who enrich it. There is a Live and Silent Auction which feature some of the best local and internationally recognized artists. Art for Life 2018 raised over $1,000,000 and had over 1,000 attendees, continuing its legacy as the most successful charity art auction fundraiser in Ohio."
- Art for Life
Very pleased to donate work to this worthy event.
Location: Columbus Museum of Art in the Margaret M. Walter Wing
“I hope to make work that is a familiar and delightful reminder of the
beauty surrounding us,” says Columbus artist Sarah Fairchild, “and why
it’s worth protecting.” One look at Sarah’s neon pink cabbages or
sultry, midnight blue broccoli does leave you in suspense over how
simultaneously star-like and essential peasant food can become in the
eye of the beholder. We caught up with Sarah while she’s living in New
York City, creating a body of work and exploring high fashion for
inspiration.
continued...
Read the article here
A review of my exhibition Lush at Hammond Harkins Galleries in the Starr Review.
"Just close your eyes," I'd like to say, "and imagine the paintings I will describe to you. They are very large, with backgrounds of metallic paints that shimmer and change colors as you approach from different directions. Gigantic floral forms are painted in hot magenta on top of the iridescent backgrounds. These huge pink plants are meticulously detailed, rendered with every vein and shadow. Their stems, stalks, and leaves, though, are made of fuzzy blue flocking."
An exhibition review of Fluorescence, "the stunning exhibit of seven new acrylic paintings on paper" written by Tom Wachunas