Wendy Briggs Powell

My work is primarily about the beauty I discover in the messiness of our emotional lives. I find the fluidity of water to be the perfect vehicle for the expression of both overwhelming as well as nuanced feelings, feelings that are fleeting and ones that stay for too long. The process of working with containers of dyed water allows me to play with lots of variables and with the relationship between taking control and letting go.

The fluidity of water offers movement and surprise, depth and translucence. The vibrant fabric dyes become even more vibrant the longer they saturate. As the paper is submerged over many days, the evaporation of the water on the surface of the paper leaves its unique mark. How the paper is situated in the container can determine what kind of form is made. Marks emerge organically. The exploration and surprises of my process are what keeps me interested. The viewer gets to attach whatever meaning they choose to the results.

Every time a variable is introduced or altered, the piece changes. This process mirrors the way I understand my own emotional life, and the end product reflects the beauty I find there, in all its imperfection.