Pat Campbell
Line is one of the seven elements of art. It can convey many emotions depending upon how it is drawn or applied. It can be straight, diagonal, vertical, thick or thin. It can be curved, zigzagged etc. In my work , the line of the piece is often curved, but in other pieces it is pointed. This varies in the modules themselves and in the final compositions. Some modules are curved in shape, and often the reed lines on the paper are parallel to emphasize the curved shape. When the lines are parallel on the individual module, the configuration is most often bilaterally symmetrical. This conveys a peaceful a peaceful configuration, a feeling of rest. In other pieces that have curved lines in the module, the lines may not be parallel on the module, but may work over the module almost as growth lines. In these pieces there is more of a feeling of movement, of a flow. I have used this in Sea Play and in pieces using this module. The final configuration may be symmetrical ( ie. Mandala and Sea Play) but convey the feeling of movement not present in the more orderly pieces that have parallel or concentric lines.
Most of the lines I use support the paper for strength. I am currently using line in a more sensuous way. The modules are curved, but the final configuration does not have a bilaterally symmetrical form.
The emotion I try to portray in all pieces is one of calmness or meditation. I am strongly influenced by shoji screens, Japanese kites and Akari, the work of Isamu Noguchi. I am interested in form, and therefore, I work only in white. In the past I have installed light behind the pieces and find this helps to define the forms.
The title of the show is the Sensuous Line. This applies well to my work as the pieces either have a flowing line in the elements as well as the overall configuration or in the design of the module itself.
The pieces can be free standing or relief wall pieces. The pieces are usually all made from one module that is repeated and placed in layers to give the feeling of depth. There are usually 2 to 4 layers. As sculpture, the free standing smaller pieces are planes that convey depth by the layering.
Themes
The themes in the pieces are usually from nature or the sea. Some of the pieces resemble plant forms. These individual modules may have pointed leaf forms (ie. Lotus and Gingko).
The pieces that are derivative from wave forms are quite obvious. I also love geometry and there are a number of purely geometric modules in geometric configurations.
Career
I believe that most artists, because of their personality, lies and dislikes, have really only one thing to say in all their work. We are born into a particular society at a particular time. We are influenced by what has come before us.
I was born into a family of artists, grew up from a child surrounded by craftsmen of the finest kind. I was drawn to weaving and began by working on the loom, but gfore long began to work sculpturally. The original impetus never has changed. I like to construct and then work with different configurations. I have done numerous commissions, working with paper, fabric and steel. The style has not changed, although I have experimented with different materials. There is always the repeat of a module in space to create an overall configuration. Some pieces have movement, some hang from atriums in space, or create a ceiling (ie. ceiling piece at Cliff House in Kennebunk).
I do not make political art and I want the pieces to convey beauty. I think our souls crave beauty and hopefully I have made and am making pieces that satisfy this need. Perhaps this is not totally politically correct, but this is what I instinctively make and want to communicate. May there be peace. Maybe in this present world, this is political.
