TABETHA CHANEY

I am working on answering a question, the question is still metamorphing in front of me as I spend more time on the world's stage ( Living ). The question only has one word so far, I suspect that is too simplistic. I have never been terribly hard to move into action so the act of questioning is enough for me. “Why?” I answer that fathomless question by working in a broad spectrum of mediums . I am not attached to a medium so much as I am attached to the act of summoning something from my mind's eye into form or function. I choose my medium based on the emotive force of the visual, and strategize towards visual storytelling using the form. I create visual puns and commentary, I take these observations from my surroundings. Coincidentally I am a representational artist that illustrates from observation of physical objects. I draw a fine line between a story and a still life. I have a strong aesthetic of whimsical, hazy watercolor illustration in combination with a solid practice of vector slinging.

My work is designed to be seen in application. Graphic design is commercial art, which is meant to have everyday application and this philosophy of work extends across my entire body of work. My design, fabrications and illustrations all relate to each other in that they are not meant to be handled. What I make does not belong against a wall or in a display case. But like myself, without even thinking about it, take up space and demand attention. There isn’t anything particularly nice about it either, it is just simply how I was supposed to function in society.

I continually revisit and reference mythology in my body of work, Drawing upon the common themes, and narratives of world myth to inform the work. I have a passion for the study of world mythology and appropriate the stories and themes to create work that is relatable and recognizable by drawing on the familiarity of these stories. My life long interest has been my muse and its influence can be seen in the doctrine of signatures, Language and story. What I endeavor to do is make work on visual narratives that the viewer can relate to and the Gods of old were written to have the same failings of men. Myth is both “story and language” and a product of a forgotten tongue my ancestors spoke. What is the expression that tells a story in one tilt of the lips? I can reference “Seduction in a suit”, “ Cronus sleeping under tartarus” and “ Goddess calling cards'' as immediate examples of work that feature scenes and gods from mythology. One might think of it as an expression of oneself through embodying a vestige of our primordial nature.My process is like a fever, nights of sleeplessness and emphatically devotion to craft. A majority of creation takes place at the dead of night in complete comfort and in solitude.