GRETCHEN WELLER HOWARD

I am a Symbolic Colorist. I speak through the rich language of both symbols and color to convey a visual narrative that is both deeply personal to me and universally accessible to the viewer. My main vessels of communication are the boat and the bird and I present them as main characters amongst the backdrop of stylized flora, fauna and landscapes of Louisiana. These, together with my visual archive including ladders, pearls, New Orleans cottages, musical instruments, raindrops, and even party hats, create stories about my community, family, and the relationships that tether us to each other and to the fragile landscape of our shared coastal home. Working spontaneously without a preconceived composition, I often allude to a childhood memory as a starting point in my work but I allow a new story to unfold on its own through the use of layered acrylic and glazes, plaster, tattered canvas bits and colored pencils.  Each symbol added enriches the scene with a new and deeper meaning. The placement of elements and color rendered adds a mystery that invites the viewer to ignite their own connection to memories of the past and to conjure a connection to time both present and future.