SYNC Gallery presents Diversions: by Pam Fortner
Diversion /dəˈvərZHən/ noun
1. An act of turning aside, as from a course or a path.
2. An activity that diverts the mind from tedious or serious concerns; a recreation or pastime.
Diversions describes Pam Fortner’s latest artistic path - one that has diverted from the expected. Her work embraces mediums not usually seen together - diverse mediums such as steel and paper. She has combined metalworking and repurposed books, bookbinding techniques and 3-dimensional sculpture as well as origami folding principals and cold-forged steel.
Pam recognizes that at this time in this country, we all need diversions. She has created work where the viewer can simply get lost - work that is pure form, pure color, pure shape - pure escapism.
Artist statement:
The work I create illustrates my love of unusual materials and techniques. I enjoy pushing beyond the boundaries of convention, beyond the predictable, beyond the familiar and into the world of the unexpected.
My creative process can be described as impulsive. I often work on many unrelated projects at a time. I like the variety. I’m always looking for new ideas, new material and new concepts.
I enjoy combining wildly diverse mediums. This requires a lot of trial and error. I do quite a bit of experimentation and have created some spectacular failures. Occasionally, I revel in great success. It is the process of exploration, experimentation and creation that is the most pleasing and important to me.
The work presented in Diversions is the result of an exploration into blacksmithing. This spring, I was awarded a scholarship to attend an 8-week concentration in the Blacksmithing Arts as taught by Elizabeth Brim at the Penland School of Crafts. My intention was to combine the diverse mediums of paper and iron. The pieces presented here include hot-forged, cold-worked and inflated steel combined with bookbinding techniques, origami and paper sculpture.
Image attached Fortner: “Cognoscenti”
Size: Dimensions vary - Individual pieces are approximately 8” x 5” x 5” Medium: Forged steel, repurposed books
