NEW GROUNDS Print Workshop & Gallery

3812 Central Ave SE  Suite 100B;  Albuquerque, NM, 87108, (505) 268-8952

 

Beth Kassay

 

Artist Statement

   

I often wonder what wisdoms I would possess today if I had pondered life according to the world of chickens earlier on. The chicken coop provides me with everything I need to know as a human being from kindness to sorrow, and from politics to social behavior.

My mezzotints and monotypes provide me with the vehicles to explore all the wonder that is “chicken.” For monotypes, I manipulate inks on my plates with rags and q-tips. To create mezzotints, I scrape away areas from the rocked copper plate to achieve a variety of grey values and details. Either medium allows me to create the body of textures which exist on this feathered fowl - from the fluffy back-ends to the scales on their legs, and from the rubber-like wattles to the silky back feathers. Each and every spirited part can be revealed.

My images are built-up in layers of ink to produce contrasts in color and a variety of textures. This allows for each print to develop a unique personality, just like the subjects that inspired them.
 

   

Biography

 

Date and Place of Birth: 1961, Smithtown, New York

 

Education:

1984: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking and Painting,  Alfred University, New York

2000:  Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

Additional Art Education: Various Classes at  New Grounds, Albuquerque, NM; and Harwood Art Center, Albuquerque, NM

 

Major Collections:

Wolverhampton College, Wolverhampton, U.K.

 Proyecto Ace, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Alfred University

 

Major Group Exhibitions:

2009: A Fowl Affair, solo show, New Grounds Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2008: Made in New Mexico, Wolverhampton College, Wolverhampton, U.K.
Made in New Mexico, Proyecto Ace, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Made in New Mexico, Tokyo National University of Arts, Tokyo, Japan
 2007:  Introducing New Members, New Grounds Print Workshop, Albuquerque, NM

 Leaving Impressions, South Broadway Cultural Center, Albuquerque, NM

2006:  Master Works, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2005:  Master Works, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2004:  Master Works, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2002:  Art Teacher Art, Masley Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

1995:  Madrid Revisited, Gifted Hands Gallery, Madrid, New Mexico

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