"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein
Somerville artist, Debra Olin, is a practicing printmaker who draws inspiration from both her surroundings and the natural world by using the combined elements of mono-print, dry-point, stencils and collage to make both two and three dimensional works on and with paper and fabric. During the art making process, the connection and balance of the three core components--the aesthetic, the technical and the conceptual, are the in forefront of her consciousness. There is always an element of surprise with the mono-print process, due to its indirect nature that is an ever-evolving process which explores our humanity, nature, and what unites us as people.
Artist Statement:
The project I am currently involved with uses the body and its connection to nature. After visiting countless botanical gardens and dealing with a loved one’s battle with cancer, I began to notice similarities between plant forms and the human body’s organs and skeletal structure. I am exploring the relationship between these forms, integrating the figure into trees and botanical settings. Restructuring the human interior I substitute and embellish forms from the natural world. We see today how intertwined we are with the planet, how all our decisions – from how we grow food to how we utilize our resources has an impact on our health and the future.
Coming from a background in sculpture, manipulating materials to be used in my experimental prints has been a natural extension of my art making exploration. I balance the aesthetic, the technical and the conceptual while being open to the surprises that occur in collaboration with the press.
Artist Bio:
Debra Olin is a printmaker, living and working in Somerville, MA. She received her MFA from Massachusetts College of Art in 1980. Olin has shown in exhibitions across the U.S., Canada, France, Serbia, South Africa, and Cuba. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Boston Public Library, Temple Israel, Brookline, MA, YIVO Institute, NYC, The DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA and the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University. In 2004 Debra was awarded the Rappaport Prize, the largest public annual award to an individual artist in New England.
Debra Olin will be participating in Somerville Open Studios, the first weekend in May, at the Mad Oyster Studios. www.debraolin.com
About the Inside-Out Gallery
Initiated in 2009, The Inside-Out Gallery is located in the CVS Window in Davis Square, a unique space that allows the public to view an eclectic array of works from artists and local organizations each month. The mission of the Somerville Arts Council is to cultivate and celebrate the creative expressions of the Somerville community. Through innovative collaborations and quality programming we work to make the arts an integral part of life reflective of our diverse city.