In February, Art on Main is presenting an exhibit by Esther Jean McQueen, a senior at Herron School of Art and students of Nancy Keating, Mosaic glass artist, and Randall Scott Harden, Impressionist Painter. Keating and Harden are both partners in Art on Main Gallery.
Esther Jean McQueen
Esther McQueen was born in Puebla, Puebla Mexico. Her mother is Mexican, and her Father is American. Her parents divorced when she was two years old, which had a significant affect on her life. This led to a lifelong commitment to art making.
As a child, she was inspired by her grandfather, who was an iron worker. He made decorative gates and ornamental doors for churches and other establishments in Puebla. His work method of bending and shaping metal rods, to create beautifully rendered pieces, is an influence on her work today.
McQueen learned at an early age, that beauty could be brought out of the ugly and mundane. McQueen’s paintings utilize color and other materials such as twine, fabric, cord and tile to create abstract imagery that capture the liveliness and soul of both the Mexican and American cultures. These pieces are meant to bring light, mystery and joy to the viewer through the process of mark making.
Artist Statement
My work is an explosion of joyful painted energy. I layer paint and collaged materials to create spaces and depth in my work. I do this by applying paint, and then scraping it away to show layers of color beneath. I use twine, thread and cord on some of my pieces to enhance the texture. I work intuitively, and my goal is that my art is to move people in a similar manner as music. Some passages are heavy and intense and some more melodic, but in almost every case the impact is strong and vibrant. It is my intent to bring light and joy to a world that at times can brutally cold and cruel. My personality is playful, strong and colorful. This is reflected in my art.
