Art Reception: "channeling" by Constance Volk

Program Type:

Arts & Culture, Kids & Families

Age Group:

Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Adults, Older Adults
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Event Details

Meet artist Constance Volk and enjoy light refreshments. Volk's art exhibit channeling is on view in the Main Library Gallery, March 12-April 13 »

About channeling
My paintings begin with a clay foundation, forming channels that allow reactive oil paint to flow and marble as it cures. I call this technique "channeling."

Reactive oil paint marbles over a multiday curing process, producing organic networks that appear repetitive but, upon closer inspection, reveal unique subtleties, as the veins in a leaf. Enamored with this material, I set out to observe it in a variety of contexts. What I eventually discovered is that the incredible marbling effects reach optimal reactivity when confined. But how to confine and control this slow-drying material? After months of trial and error with numerous pastes and gels, glues, types of clay, and various piping cords, I found that building ridges out of a mixture of air-drying clay, cotton cord, and molding paste, though extremely time-consuming, results in grooves that are well-suited to this wildly unpredictable, frustrating, and entirely captivating material.

Register to join Creating Creatures and Telling Their Stories, a drawing and storytelling art workshop with Constance Volk on March 16, 11 am-1 pm »

About the artist
Constance Volk is a musician, a painter, and an illustrator. She is a member of Ensemble Dal Niente, the Grossman Ensemble, and the Chicago Wind project. She has collaborated with Lookingglass Theater, Eighth Blackbird, and Third Coast Percussion. She has exhibited paintings at Bridgeport Art Center, Miller Beach Arts and Creative District, Zhou B Art Center, Rendezvous Arts, and the Highland Park Art Center. Her illustrations are featured with "Density Seeds," an offshoot of the "Density 2036" solo flute repertoire project. Constance is the creator of Connie’s Characters, a series of mix-and-match coloring books full of wacky weirdos. Her paintings, poster art, coloring books, and music can be found at constancevolk.com.