C. Emerson Fine Arts::

Catherine Chastain-Elliott ,Too Much Stuff is Online,Acrylic and natural texture on canvas, 2008

Artist Statement:

My current body of work consists of graffiti-like messages scrawled across rough-surfaced canvases. These pieces are an evolution of the abstract landscapes that I have created for years; the messages traverse the landscape, which I have come to view as a metaphor for a human lifespan. The words and phrases float above their backdrops demanding attention—making statements, asking questions. They invite the viewer to examine the “landscape” of their lives and to ask themselves if they are conducting their affairs in ways that are beneficial to the common good. Will we regret, in the end, what we did and did not do? *** Help her. Her feelings got hurt. *** The old dog may be grumpy, but he is a good dog…Indulge the growling. *** Did you mess with their things? *** Look inside for answers…You will know. *** Etc.

Catherine Chastain-Elliott is Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Tampa. She holds a B.A. in painting, drawing, and art history from Rhodes College, and a Ph.D. in art history from Emory University. She maintains a studio in the southern Appalachian mountains in the Sautee-Nacoochee Valley, Georgia.

cchastain.elliott@ut.edu

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