Marcia Stuermer

Marcia Stuermer's picture
Neighborhood: SOMA
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Inspiration for my work stems primarily from observations culled from nature, in tandem with the circumstances of our current environment that pose a threat to it. Both aesthetically and conceptually, my mixed media work is driven by a fascination with the beauty of nature and it’s underlying systems, along with its fragility, connectivity, and mutability. In much of my work, I use compositional striations, reminiscent of the striping of the ubiquitous barcode, to visually connote how the destructive model of rampant consumerism and capitalistic greed is undermining our biosphere, jeopardizing its existence. I attempt in my work to bring attention to the delicate edge that humanity's undeniable connection with nature is teetering on in the current planetary paradigm shift, and the critical need to preserve that fragile balance into the future.

My practice focuses on using cast translucent resin in combination with repurposed, unexpected materials and exploratory processes to capture moments in time that initiate investigations of personal perception and emotions through manipulated materiality. Central to my work are the elements of surprise, wonder, and overlooked beauty as I strive to transform commonplace elements into the sublime while simultaneously instilling commentary on the complex underpinnings of our modern milieu.