‘Only the Essentials.’ Gallery hosts cross-stitched scrap art.
They may just look like scraps at first glance, but the meaning of Jonpaul Smith’s “Only the Essentials” exhibit is much more than meets the eye.
The exhibit, which is being held in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center Gallery, features abstract art with an underlying theme that is of pieces of “found material”and cross-stitched scraps.
The items include recognizable consumer products in popular grocery stores.
Jonpaul Smith’s ‘Only the Essentials’ showcases cros-stitched scrap art from “found material.” Photo by Kyle Weidner
Smith cuts long strips from found paper or consumer products and weaves them together into colorful and intricate designs.
The viewer can enjoy an abstract, colorful explosion of concepts from a distance, but can pick out familiar imagery up close.
Smith brings these pieces together with their intricate design, bright color schemes and subtle humor. His inspiration comes from complex relationships of systems and patterns that control and dictate everyday lives.
“The world is full of patterns, both in nature and in consumerism,” Smith said. “After looking at certain packages and collecting them for a while, I began to notice [that] certain colors and patterns became normal for certain products, blue for cleaning supplies for example.”
Smith said that close up, these works of art can become something completely different from what they are perceived as at a closer perspective.
“It’s something I like to call Microcosmic and Macrocosmic viewing,” Smith said. “When a person looks at my work from a distance they could possibly see something completely different than if they were to take a closer look.”
Many of the themes of the artwork come from Smith’s personal experiences.
“Follow your own personal patterns. Someone could follow a color they like or a pattern of shapes that catches their eye. It’s all about what personal attachment each individual takes away from a piece” he said, “I try to keep an open narrative in my work, rather than focusing on a definitive statement.”
Smith explained what he believes the viewer brings to the exhibit. Through his art, Smith creates a sense of individuality, by allowing the audience to view the artwork from different perspectives.
“It is our experiences in life that determine how we think,” Smith said. “There is always an underlying theme but it is up to each person to find that nostalgic connection.”
Smith’s “Only the Essentials” will be on display in the Christel Dehaan Fine Arts Center through Oct. 28.
For more information on the exhibit, Smith is available on his website, www.jonpaulcsmith.com or the fine arts center’s postings on the university web site.
