Spring Art Tour: Edna M. Kunkel

Edna M. Kunkel | photography, pastel, mixed media

The images that I espy in my daily adventures remind me of a hidden radiance captured by fauvists, impressionists, and master painters. Principles of complimentary colors and color harmony fascinate and inspire me. I thrive on the transformations that occur when I apply these principles. The infinite permutations for portraying the world that exist within the confines of nature and the expanse beyond my instinctive yet highly logical boundaries of imagination nourish my spirit and rejuvenate my soul. Inspired by the color theorists and the application of their principles, I capture elements of nature and reach inside them to unleash the veiled essences of serenity, intensity, and self.

My works represent a unique form of mixed media that fuses the principles of classical, traditional techniques with twenty-first century options. My freshest pieces expose the vivacity of existence by transforming natural and photographic references with soft pastels, which I choose to turn into tactile works with mixed media glazes. This mixed media approach allows this fugitive media to escape from its “normal” and traditionally delicate, untouchable life normally experienced behind thick walls of glass.

For my photographic images, I digitally stack variations of the photographic image in electronic to unveil the richness of color as found in traditional painting with layered glazes. After printing the final digital compositions with pigmented inks onto papers, cotton, canvas, and silk, I add surface treatments with acrylics, paints, micas, and fibers to build texture and character and complete the composition with artistic matting and framing.

STUDIO ACCESS: Street level entry with easy access to print and framing rooms. Basement level gallery is one flight of stairs down. Kunkel will be demonstrating the techniques she uses to prepare surfaces as well as steps taken from sketch and photo references to finished pastel works. This finishing process has to be done outside and so is dependent on good weather. She also intends to run a video of the process she uses to modify her photographic images. In addition she will print images on her archival printer. Toys and non-toxic art materials will be available for children with artistic inclinations.

325 Llanos Street, Verona, WI 53593 | 608-845-9091 | 608-212-6230
lectrikolor@tds.net | www.electrikolor.com