Kristin Foley, Graphic Designer

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For the past 9 years I have pursued a BFA Studio degree in multiple concentrations including Illustration, Printmaking and Ceramics.  Through this studio work and development of my ideas and concepts, I have grown into a competent artist. Over the past few years I have come to the point in my career where I am able to take my work to a professional level. 
Now I am ready to create art that has the ability to reach greater audiences. Computers have taken over the world; they are how we communicate with each other on a personal and a professional level. Computers are a common medium that enable us to express ideas and concepts instantaneously. The next stage of my career will be in Graphic Design, where I can combine my creativity with this new technological medium.

This recent body of work has been a response to some newly formed health issues and the personal growth that has emerged in overcoming them.  A diagnosis is Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes with neuropathy and Fibromyalgia changed my life completely.   When presented with these life altering health conditions I was forced to seek alternative methods for my healing.  This is when I discovered Traditional Chinese Medicine in the form of acupuncture.

This body of work is an installation of sections of three life-size figures that combine clay and print with text and imagery.  These figures represent and are created from three of the five elements associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): wood, earth and metal.  As humans, we have a natural connection to nature and this body of work represents the way our body connects and reacts to our natural environment.

In TCM, each organ is associated with a specific element and has characteristics governing the way our body reacts to our environment according to factors such as: time of day, season of the year, specific food, color and so on.  Meridians are energy channels that run through the body accordingly for each element.  These meridians are invisible lines that carry energy to every organ and system in correspondence to a particular element.  The practice of acupuncture is inserting needles at certain points along these meridians to encourage energy flow and relieve the symptoms accompanied by the imbalance.

My work incorporates layering of media, meaning and material, representing the way our life shapes who we are.  Life’s harsh times will never subside completely; it is how we react and learn from these situations that determine whether it destroys or inspires us.    

See the work…

Jerry Garcia is known as one of the greatest guitar players of all time. In fact, rolling stone published their ranking of 13 out of 100. This number is amazing enough, but to have accomplished this without the middle finger of his picking hand is even more incredible.
At the age of four, young Jerry was involved in an unfortunate incident with his brother. While on vacation, his older brother was chopping wood, and using little Jerry to steady the pieces. The four year old got his hand in the way and was very quickly missing some finger.
The small boy never let this phase him and often found humor in showing off his stub to others.

Jimi Hendrix had a unique sound that took some getting used to in the United States. His edgy sound was a combination of blues and jazz with a funk driven rhythm. He combined this with a touch of high-pitched psychedelic sounds that were created by his guitar jam session improvisations.

These tactics were new and questionable on their own, but The Jimi Hendrix Experience included a dramatic stage performance that brought him wide exposure and recognition.

This is why Jimi Hendrix is known world wide as one of the greatest guitar players and most influential musicians in the history of rock music.

Wood burning is another word for the ancient art of Pyrography.  Decorating wood or other materials by burning them is done with a precise and controlled application of marks with a heated object.   Traditionally known as “writing with fire” Pyrography uses a modern day tool similar to a soldering iron with a heated tip to scorch designs onto natural materials such as wood or leather.   Historically this was done using a shaped piece of metal heated in a fire, or even concentrated sunlight.  This method of working allows either soft, subtle gradations and detail or deep, dramatic designs with bold contrasts.  By varying the type of wood and stain while using the natural variations in the grain you can make wood burning a fitting media for a rustic look and feel.