By Elizabeth Perry in A&E
“Splat!”, a collaborative art show created by a University of Washington graduate and Clark students, is on display in Archer Gallery until May 7.
Julie Alpert, who has a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting, completed a three-week artist residency at Clark where she and students created installation art that was brought to life by elements of repetition and shadows. The art combined reality and illusion to create a site-specific experience.
“It’s been a real pleasure to have Julie in town,” said Grant Hottle, an art instructor at Clark. Hottle’s Art 258 class worked closely with Alpert in the second week of her residency to create the exhibit.
Alpert set up small group stations, taught students about the creative process of a professional artist, and about a style she calls “repetitive and meditative” art making, that she learned from artist Katy Stone, said Alpert.
Alpert deviated from her usual style of hard-angled patterns when producing “Splat!” The work expresses the feeling of movement by using shadows and softened lines.
“I created this language of a drip shape,” said Alpert, holding up an example of her repeated melting motif. “Nothing is actually hitting a surface and splattering. It’s all in motion. It’s maybe about to splat, or about to spill.”
Alpert combines traditional art elements with objects like home decor and patterned paper found in local stores, recycling centers, or on the side of the road. The artist finds her inspiration in textiles, her south-Seattle neighbourhood, and natural patterns in the world. She calls her practice “observation based,” which can be seen in how she incorporates natural and man-made patterns into her art.
Alpert will continue to work in Seattle with Cornish College of the Arts and Gage Academy of Art to teach high schoolers about artistic methods.
The artist hopes to have more experiences like her residency at Clark. “This was a very unknown experience to me going into it. It really couldn’t have been more perfect,” said Alpert. She aims to go on tour with her art and be represented by a museum or gallery in the future.
To purchase artwork contact Alpert at juliealpertart@gmail.com. Wearable art, including leggings and jewelry, inspired by her work can be found at juliealpert.com.
