American School Girl

Sue Cranston

digital

“Currently, I am expanding on a body of work that is all about the ‘American School Girl’. This is an ongoing series of acrylic and mixed-media paintings, digital artwork, relief block prints, and mixed-media assemblage pieces.  This body of work reflects the viewpoint and perspective of three school stages of girlhood; elementary, middle school, and high school.

The content of my work is guided by my admiration for youth uniforms: Brownies, Girl Scouts, and the ‘Catholic School Girl’ that I recall from my childhood.

I start by documenting particular details of the textiles in combination with ordinary, yet special,  artifacts of my youth. I am influenced by the ‘act of civility’, the ‘wholesomeness’, and the naiveté of  my school life. My work often reflects my response to what I observe in my own adult children’s lives and the students in my everyday classroom.

I plan to expand my work even further to connect the views of a young female with those of a middle-aged woman, and eventually the views of an elderly woman. I am fascinated, and shocked, by human aging. My interest is to document the aging process, life timelines, and personal growth.

Each of my art pieces feature content that is meant to symbolize life on life’s terms such as domesticity, vulnerability and above all, honesty.”

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Price: $200
Size: 21″ x 27″
Contact melanyb@eauclaire.lib.wi.us for details.