My artwork has always been informed by objects that I have collected or found,
often while on walks. The materials are both man-made and natural and are often
aged or eroded in some way-evidencing change. I integrate collected objects into
my work as a metaphor for the cycle of change that all materials and objects are
affected by, including myself. This process provides a vehicle for me to consider
my place on earth and my part in nature. I fabricate structures that have a form
relative to the theme of the piece to insert these objects or I sometimes literally
work into larger objects that I find such as globes and large stones.
The stone works, Mnemonic Stones, Pietrasanta, and Moonstone Beach, were
created following a 2½-month experience in Ireland and Italy. I traveled to Ireland
specifically to visit New Grange where there is an ornamented stone I first saw in
Lucy Lippard's book, Overlay. The deeply-incised, spiral-patterned stone serves
as a large entry marker to a chambered hilltop site built before Stonehenge to
record the annual passage of the winter solstice. While in Italy I studied stone
carving in Pietrasanta, near the white marble mountains of Carrara. Throughout
my journey in both Ireland and Italy I found and collected objects that served as
mnemonic elements of my journey. In Italy I attempted to learn the skills associated
with carving marble and yet found myself drawn to the river where the water had
naturally eroded and formed the stones and other objects. In the studio I began to
form the angled and chiseled stones and soften them to resemble river rocks.
Eventually, I just began to work directly into the found river rocks, inlaying the
objects I had found in both Italy and Ireland.
I strongly believe that it is important for our generation to continue the pursuit of
preserving natural areas of the world from impending development and potential
destruction. As You Save So You Prosper is a piece that I created that speaks
to that concern of preservation and honors and celebrates ten national parks that
continue that mission. In a separate globe piece, titled Extinct images of animals,
birds, plants and fish are featured yet all have been lost forever for a variety of
reasons, however man's presence is the most detrimental force of all. In a
companion artwork entitled Endangered, images of many life forms currently
threatened throughout the earth are inlaid into the surface of the globe.
I collect postcards, stereocards, advertising premium cards, photographs and
eventually it has led me to postage stamps. As I began to sort through my
collected images for use in art works, I mentioned to my grandfather, who has
collected stamps throughout his life, that I was interested in stamps that contained
nature and conservation themes. He sent me a set of stamps that I truly love, the
ten 1934 commemorative National Park stamps that became the foundation for As
You Save So You Prosper. I have traveled to most of the parks represented in
the artwork, however, I wrote to each National Park and applied for one small
plastic zip-lock bag of soil. I filled-out all of the necessary government paper work
to receive the soil and provided postage for the return of the boxes. The soil within
each globe is derived from the National Park that is represented on the stamp.
Three fabricated stereoscope globes from the series, A World View began by
collecting antique stereocards of specific subject matter that provide a unique 100
year-old view of nature. I have a large collection of stereocards on a variety of
subjects including: insects, birds, fruits and vegetables, man in the environment,
trees, lunar phases, man and animal relationships, creatures in the wild, zoo and
museum diorama, to mention a few.
The three metal globes that compose, Moment to Moment deal with preservation
and the preciousness of the current moment as evidenced by the dramatic changes
that have occurred prior to this moment and will happen in the future. The idea for
Moment to Moment occurred during a difficult evening several years ago when
my partner's father called to inform us that he could no longer bare the
chemotherapy treatments and that the next few months would be the last that we
would have to share with him . . . hours later . . . I received a call from my brother
and his wife informing us that they were pregnant and expecting a new born within
the coming months.
Chris Ramsay
Chris Ramsay
Artist Statement
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