The Story of my Work
I studied at The Maryland Institute College of Art and The San Francisco Art Institute. I grew up in Ann Arbor and I have exhibited my work here, in Detroit, Baltimore, and San Francisco. My work has been shown in varied settings, from galleries to guerilla art installations that challenge the norms of where and how to do art. I am particularly interested in blurring the lines between art and advertising. My materials appropriate mass produced objects, including origami designs, floral patterns, fashion magazine ads, and nature imagery used as a basis for overlaying my nail-polish paintings. I seek to take work that I show in the museum and bring it out into the world..(ANd also to package the museum space..creating presents for the viewer to BE in..letting their senses play/interact with the work).. In so doing, the notion of play in my work looks to paint the world with nail-polish. I also anticipate the continued use of my work by business partners in advertising blurring the boundaries between art and advertising.. packaging interior space of the museum with the exterior. .all spaces are blurring today..i am interested in framing these and creating (presents) with my work. Or something like this, smile.
Technique and Approach
My technique uses nail-polish to add a shimmering quality to the patterns and floral designs similar to that exemplified in traditional Asian portrayals of nature. My work examines the nature-culture dichotomy and brings out Asian and other influences into a contemporary presentation. My work of over 60 nail-polish paintings was represented at a solo show in 2002 at the Museum of New Art, Detroit (http://www.detroitmona.com/julie_pate.htm). This show included wall installations and nail-polish applied to origami paper, large photographs, and various 3-D objects. In 2000, I began working with the same nail-polish a consumer would buy, but I am now planning projects on a much larger scale that includes many types of mass produced objects and imagery. In the 1960's through the 1980's, Arman constructed massive automobile structures from wrecked cars. Arman raises questions about the connection of the contemporary artist with industry. Many artists struggle with the purity of their art form and whether to make their art into a commercial product. I, however, am reversing this by taking commercial products and turning them into art..using the newest in makeup technology, to create the most beautiful art.
