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131713 https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.56281 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ 2020-05 17 pages eng Fraga, Mckenna A Schoebel, Henry Susan, Beiner School of Art Barrett, The Honors College Text The role of the artist is to push their field forward. Painting, an ancient <br/>traditional practice, is constantly challenged by new ideas, technologies, societal <br/>currents, and people. I believe it is my role to continue this tradition and introduce <br/>my interpretation of the disciple that is painting. <br/>In this series titled “What Our Bountiful Mother Earth Has Given Us”, I <br/>explore topics of materiality, sacrifice, and the relationship between artists, laborers, <br/>and the Earth. I began this investigation with an adoration for fruit- the signal of a <br/>successful harvest, the budding of fertile land. To capture this organic abundance, I <br/>decided to use the actual pulp of the fruit to depict it. The sacrificial act of using the <br/>flesh of the fruit created an artifact that strives to be, in the end, greater than the <br/>sum of its’ parts. At its’ core, painting is the alchemy of combining natural elements. <br/>To do so, I began by sourcing as much of my chosen fruit as possible, <br/>specifically choosing fruits that require the labor of migrant farm workers in <br/>California. I experimented with using tools such as a blender or food processor to <br/>crush the fruit, but ultimately decided that using my hands and feet to pulverize the <br/>fruit to a paintable pulp allowed me to experience being a component in the process. <br/>Next, I reduced the liquid content by boiling it down to concentrated medium, <br/>adding salt as a preservative measure. Testing out heavy canvases and thin <br/>starched cottons, I eventually chose the lightest fabric I could find, cheesecloth, to <br/>allow the medium to carry the weight of the piece, rather than the support. I <br/>suspended this fabric between two easels and began painting my pulp concoction <br/>onto both sides in multiple layers, allowing it to dry in between. I repeated this<br/>process multiple times until the cloth became stiff and only a small amount of light <br/>could filter through it. I began the same process using another fruit, until I had all <br/>three completed. Art Painting Hispanic What Our Bountiful Mother Earth Has Given Us