Consistency is Not a Virtue
Curves Ahead
Cynthia
Linda Sue Price
Artist Statement
In my neon artwork, I draw upon my family history with an interest in how people make sense of the world. My art is a response to the suffering and loss my parents experienced post-WWII. A universal theme; the horrors of war, the anger, the bitterness, the fear, never go away. Rather than create work that is filled with this darkness, my work focuses on the peace, joy and recovery, where change is the only constant and moving forward is the only option.
My work combines the reality of the medium (the bending of neon tubes) with the challenges of the imagery (the curving, abstract forms). The process that connects these relationships represents the mental process that I am interested in, a visual manifestation of a system of thought.
I opt to bend primarily free form as opposed to pattern--the traditional way of bending neon. This offers the opportunity to see the neon tubes from a different perspective. Underpinning the abstract imagery are thoughts about how we define each other through assumption, how we live in these little worlds of ours, how we get stuck in trying to make things right or wrong thereby creating a false sense of security. With a focus on emotional relationships and the human experience, I create work with a gestural and playful core.
Elements of abstract expressionism, pop art, graphic design and historic neon signs influence my work. I reference such artists as Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Laddie John Dill and Judy Chicago. With the abstract ideas of these artists along with themes on the human condition, I am able to advance the combination of text and abstraction towards a personal resolution.