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Artist Statement:
Pain, in its many forms, has
always been a great motivator
in my life whether it has been
a journey to eradicate it or
live and triumph in spite of
it. There have been great
influences in my life, which
have both given birth to my
visual and literary work and
continue to inspire my
artistic growth: recovery from
childhood abuse and drug and
alcohol addiction as a young
adult and learning how to be
disabled as a thirty something
adult. Though a writer ever
since I could hold a pencil,
visual art became a major part
of my life after sustaining a
spinal cord injury in 1998.
Visual art had a profound
effect on my healing process
and it, along with literary
art, continues to infuse and
inspire every facet of my life
today.
Found imagery and vintage
objects allow me the latitude
to coax and cajole the
character out of each work of
art, creating works that are
unexpected and refreshing.
Much of my work reflects the
desire and sheer will to see
the humor, beauty, lightness
and spirit that exist beyond
the shadows of pain that
frequent life; reminding us to
continue moving forward with
hope faith, ...
Further Information
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Artist Exhibitions:
Coming Soon!
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Artist Galleries:
Coming Soon!
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Artist Reviews:
Coming Soon!
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Collections:
Coming Soon!
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Commissions:
Coming Soon!
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Krishanna Spencer Biography:
| Biographical information for Krishanna Spencer can be found below. The artist may choose what information to display. Sometimes the artist chooses not to display personal information to the general public. |
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Age
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42
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| Gender |
Female
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| Status |
Committed
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| Children |
0
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| Religion |
Goddess-oriented |
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| Education |
Self Taught |
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| Hobbies / Interests |
writing, reading, creating, women’s art, Goddess culture and mythos, art, nature, animals, cross-stitching,thrift and antiques shopping, art and living life rather than surviving it... |
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| Favorite Artistic Medium |
Assemblage
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| Favorite Arthistory Movement |
Surrealism - (1924 - 1955)
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| Favorite Visual Artist |
I can only choose one?
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| Favorite Work of Art |
I can only choose one?
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| Biggest Artistic Inspiration |
I am inspired by the things that are old, torn, tattered, replaced and cast aside; things that never fall apart, things with obvious history that speak through layers of time, color, rust, grit and purpose.
An object tossed carelessly on the ground can become treasure that assumes new life in a piece of art. Working with everyday materials- such as matchboxes, scrap metal, rusty and seemingly useless hardware, dominoes, cigar boxes and books- are altered and incorporated into my assemblages, altered books and collages, thus recycling and transforming them into works of art and imagination.
I delight in making big, creative messes full of paint, paper, ink, clay, and odd bits and I prefer to spend my days visioning... absorbing... creating...transforming; taking things apart and putting them back together forever altering how they are viewed. |
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| Why Did You Become An Artist |
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| Your Personal Biography |
"You have to give up the life you have to get the life that's waiting for you"-- James Hillman
In 1998, my life was forever altered by a spinal cord injury that surgeries would not be able to repair completely. I was left with severe lumbar and sacral nerve damage, causing chronic pain and depression and other complications.
Writing ever since I could hold a pencil, words led me from short stories and poetry to creative non-fiction and editing. Being unable to sit at the computer long enough to write anything significant, I began creating collages again after years of believing I had no visual art talent. I created them in private and threw many away before realizing that they may actually have some merit.
One year, I found an art program called the DaVinci Project (a project of VSA Arts of Virginia) for artists with disabilities and participated in the open studio sessions. It was there I gained confidence in my art and the motivation to work at a new career as a visual artist and freelance writer.
In addition to becoming my most effective pain killer, visual art became a major part of my healing process. It allowed me to take the many steps that were necessary for me to reconnect with the world after my injury and continues to provide me with a more meaningful and authentic life.
My whole life is infused with art. More accurately I make art. I write, paint, sculpt, assemble and build. When I’m not making art, I’m thinking about making it. I think about it in the shower or while I’m making fried chicken for dinner on Friday night. It’s in my head when I am emptying litter boxes and cleaning the ferret cage. It’s there when I clean the toilet and dump dirty clothes in the washer and take clean ones out of the dryer. It’s there when my health won’t allow me to make it. I dream about art when I am sleeping. My hobbies revolve around art. I watch movies and television about art. I read about art. Manthing is an artist and 95% of my friends, yes, even my bosses, are artists of some kind. I write about art. My part-time jobs all involve art. I talk about art when I am not making it, sleeping with it, watching it, or reading or writing about it.
I am now actively involved in making my creative dreams real, creating and developing larger scale works which utilize my style and techniques and explore new media. I also offer art tutoring to individuals and facilitate private classes and small workshops in addition to working part-time for VSA arts of Virginia and as Gallery Administrator for 12 12 Gallery.
In addition to making and marketing my art, I facilitate small group workshops, offer individual art tutoring in my studio and work part-time with VSA arts of Virginia as Assistant to the President and Director of “Outside the Lines”, a program I founded through VSA arts of Virginia which offers entrepreneurial artistic opportunities to artists with disabilities.
Originally raised in Los Angeles, I currently work and live in the Richmond area sharing my life with my longtime boyfriend, a menagerie of assorted furry-footed creatures, and a small passel of talented and creative people I am fortunate enough to find kinship with.
I live in Central Virginia, devoted to the love of my life, affectionately known as Manthing, a menagerie of furry children and a modest circle of very talented and creative people who I am fortunate enough to call friends. |
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