Artist Statement and Process: Robyn Stoller Awend

Through prints, drawings, installations and book art, my work explores the complex composition of the inner self. It combines the biological and cultural identities of the self, referencing the Hebrew alphabet, cells and D.N.A.  I find visual and conceptual connections between these identities through the use of cellular imagery and the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Inspiration stems from my strong connection to my Jewish heritage and fascination with the human anatomy.

According to the Jewish mystical tradition, the Hebrew letters are the building blocks of creation. They are analogues to physical elements. From a biological perspective, the cells are the basic building blocks of man. Through my art, I find relationships between these two fundamental elements of existence.

Printing Process:
Letterpress printing can be described as “the process of using a press for relief printing from metal type or raised surfaces formed from wood, metal or linoleum.” Once a relief surface has been prepared it is put in the press. A roller is used to place ink on the type or block, which is then pressed against paper. 

Drawings:
My drawings are often used as a preliminary tool. They function as inspiration, research or actual imagery. Some of the drawings are used to create (photopolymer) plates, which are then used in the printing process.    

Installations:
Installations are an important component in my work because they allow for the arts content to be explored from a different perspective.  Interacting with the artwork adds another element or layer to the viewing process and often helps to instigate a relationship between the work and the viewer.  Installations also create immediacy in the art-making process. Letterpress printing can be classified as an art form where the hand is removed from the actual surface of the work.  Creating specific installations has the potential to reverse that effect.

Book Art:
Through bound and unbound books, my work finds common threads through series.  Much of my work is created with minimal layers leaving equal amounts of negative space as positive.  Each work is able to stand on its own but functions as a part of a larger whole.

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Robyn Stoller Awend
RobynAwend@gmail.com