Lynn Sisler

I hear a lot about how we, as a society, are collectively mourning. We are mourning the loss of our ordinary lives before Covid 19 and the looming dangerous, political and social upheavals of the past several years. I am interested in environmental issues; specifically, how our mindset might change so that humans and non-humans can both thrive and co-exist going into the future. Like so many of us, I often feel powerless and discouraged. My art conveys visual stories-- as an artist, I can create what I want in my paintings and sculptures. I am crafting the characters, the setting, the mood, and the plot lines. I am in charge in this small world, and this helps me lean into my grief feelings and cope a little bit better. My work also allows me to communicate and facilitate conversations about biology, history, literature, and climate change with a new openness to the future. These works are gleaned from my lived experience, both emotionally and physically within the act of making, but they also encompass a much broader narrative about life and death. The stories weave together and are in the throes of affecting every life form on the planet. In other words, for me, art is a pathway—a pilgrimage—to building my own resilience.

The works I am submitting for your consideration were all created in the last 3 months as I was completing my MFA summer intensive at Maine College of Art in Portland, ME. Preventative measures against Covid 19 were on the forefront of everyone's mind throughout the summer--a constant, daily reminder which, no doubt, affected everyone and their work in ways we can only begin to comprehend.

Lynn Sisler is based in Florence, MA