I like stuff that you can't quite place in time. It can look like the future, and it can also look ancient. - Jackie Ferrara, American sculptor and draftswoman

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Artist Statement

Can art foster a deeper relationship between the physical world and the spiritual world? Where in art history have these two worlds converged? Are there certain aesthetics found in historical works that have helped to create a bridge to the transcendent? These are some of the questions my work explores.

 

Investigating everything from ancient Roman architecture to Arabic tile work, from Japanese gardens to midcentury modern design, I hone in on shared aesthetics and forms to create abstract imagery that looks both ancient and modern. I create geometric abstract paintings, relief sculptures, and assemblages that focus on the aesthetic characteristics of order and simplicity. Using encaustic paint heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, I build up layers of wax, then scrape them down, and burnish the surface to a glossy finish. I compose repeated shapes found in classical architecture (e.g., the Roman arch) and etch inside the shapes with clean and simple lines to create the appearance of tile work. The pattern-making and repetition flow out of my deep appreciation for order, which is one of the defining characteristics of beauty and the transcendent across different cultures and across time.

 

I make artwork to find my own place in history and to connect to something greater than myself. While much of the modern world focuses solely on the present and something that can be seen, I try to create space for an expansive vision that transcends time and gives shape to what is unseen.