Artist Statement: We have just one planet, yet it is faced with many perils of human activity-- industrial and home waste, discarded electronics, packaging, plastics, destruction from war, and the consequences of our disposable culture. These perils, embodied in the globes in this installation, drive me toward activism and a passion for environmental stewardship.
I don't claim to have answers. I'm part of the problem—half the materials adorning these globes come from my own household, despite my efforts to live lightly. I work mostly with analog tools and resist our throwaway tech culture, but I'm complicit too.
My goal isn't to preach. I seek to poke and provoke.
Artist Bio: Shirley Abraham has spent her life creating and teaching art. With a BA in Art from the University of Redlands, she worked in graphic design for 20 years before computers transformed the field. She taught art in K-12 schools and eventually earned her teaching credential from Cal State Fullerton, which also led her back to creating her own work.
Abraham works in pastels, watercolor, felt, mixed media, and found objects, and embraces both whimsy and irony in her art. An avid hiker and nature-lover, Abraham often collects materials from the ground to incorporate into her pieces. This is her first solo exhibition.
