Abbie R Powers

''I truly believe we can overwhelm the darkness of this world by shining something brighter and more beautiful.'' -- Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution
I approach art-making with a very honest hand, using what I make to present the true state of our daily lives; the pain, the hurt, the lies we weave as well as the raw, beautiful, awe-inspiring moments in which our hearts feel truly alive. Referencing nature and the farmland I was immersed in throughout my childhood, organically ordered sets of multiples represent individual persons in the installations and environments I weave from manipulated found materials, performance, video and light.
I aim to dig deeper and present the honest, elemental state of our daily emotional and mental base. At the same time, it is important for me to engage the viewer with the joy and beauty there is to experience in this world. The multiple is a surrogate for the core of the individual and when presented in groups by the hundreds allows for the common connection of collective humanity. When presented, the multiples also reference food, eating and human consumption. This basic necessity of the life cycle serves as a metaphor for the consideration of what we take in as humans, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The use of found materials that ultimately reflect the natural world begs one to heighten their awareness of the beauty to be had in this world. There are times when I am hard at work in my studio that I feel like I am back on the farm at my kitchen table, telling stories with my sisters, cherry juice on my hands, shirt and face. No material is off limits to me and the hours I spend working on multiples takes me directly back to farm life. Watching the beautiful, raw and sometimes brutal cycle that life goes through on the farm has greatly influenced me, allowing me to approach the line between life and death honestly.