Marylyn English

Employing two separate metaphors, my recent work concerns the relationship of our fragile Earth to our own cycles of life and mortality: The 'Fragments' Series was created following the devastating death of my husband. The images reflect my return to life using my yoga experiences as an inspiration. The 'Wetlands' Series is an exploration of water in its various forms. I often use multiple perspectives to create an image within a reinvented space permeated by the erasure of a human presence. These landscapes are residues of experiences rather than actual locations. In my series 'Liquid Assets', the divisions within the canvases flow together with a sequence of cause and effect. They include observations of urban sprawl consuming the last vestiges of what once were rushing mountain streams. Graffiti echoes the primal desire to leave evidence of our brief existence on earth. I challenge myself to express my concerns by depicting the beauty of the Earth with gestures of its degradation. In my most recent series 'Google It', I use several media to depict a fanciful journey through the miracle of instant access to understanding that Google provides us. Google has changed my life. I was born into a creative family, which included artists, architects and engineers. Following their lead, oils became my first medium. I was exposed to the works of the Masters at a young age taking my first formal art classes when I was eight years old. I studied art at Kansas University and have continued my education throughout my life. In addition to oils, I have also worked with pastels, acrylics, watercolors and several area of printmaking. For my sculptures, I have used wood, stone, metal and ceramics. The emotional layers of glazes by Turner and Monet have influenced many of my landscapes. The multi-media commentaries of Robert Rauschenberg on modern culture, along with the meditative graffiti-like markings of his friend Cy Twombly inform my recent pieces. My studio is located in Los Angeles.