published 11/16/09
Through photographs, glass and community participation, two different Portsmouth artists are using their artistic mediums to present environmental themes in new ways. Tim Gaudreau has a history of creating thought provoking eco-art in photographic images and interactive installations, and Dyanna Smith is just beginning to translate her work in conservation into sculptural works of glass. And both artists are opening the doors to their studios during the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour this weekend.
Gaudreau’s creations reveal the human relationship with the environment through varied media, including photographic and sculptural installations that shift an observer’s perspective on their daily lives.
“The purpose of eco-art is healing,” Gaudreau explains, “bridging the rift between resources and how we use them.” His Self Portrait as Revealed by Trash proves the point with collaged collections of photographs, each highlighting a separate object. Installations cover walls and entire rooms with images. “For a year I photographed every single thing that I threw out.” Most recently, Gaudreau is working on a year-long documentation of his own carbon footprint.
Smith is a glass artist who completed her first sculptural piece this year in response to her larger work in the environmental field.
“I was inspired to create Three Ice Cores in Glass after investigating the science behind global climate change concerns,” says Smith. “Even as a scientist, I find the information hard to grasp, and it can leave me feeling helpless about the future. Then I came across a graph showing the build up of massive amounts of lead in the atmosphere that peaked in the 70’s and then dramatically decreased after the switch to unleaded gas. As a nation, we took wide-spread action then, and we fixed that incredible problem! I wanted to visually explain how we can make a positive change – how we did it before, and we can do it again.”
To see their work and meet the artists, visit their studios during the Portsmouth Holiday Arts Tour November 20-22, when Smith and Gaudreau will be joined by thirteen other artists at eight locations along a self-guided route winding through Portsmouth.
Watch for tour signs with numbers and balloons as you follow the map to each home studio. All of the artists will be available to discuss their work and answer any questions you may have. The tour is free and open to the public. Work will be for sale and custom orders are welcomed.
Studios are open Friday, November 20 from 5-8pm, Saturday, November 21 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 22 from 10am-5pm.
Visit www.portsmouthartstour.com to download a brochure and tour map.