Julia Kemerer
Gages Lake, IL

If art is the bridge between the imagined and the real, then frames are portals between these two realms. These pieces are not contained by their found-object frames, but rather the frames create doorways that allow bits of my imagination to break into our shared physical reality.

I have chosen birds for this series not only because the round shape of the frames is reminiscent of the openings to bird houses, but because birds appear as if out of nowhere. Where did they come from, and where do they go? At first, these super-sized creatures appearing in human space can be a little unsettling, leading us to ask if they have found a way into our world, or if we have somehow found ourselves in theirs?

The art I make now is the result of a fleeting moment in 2023 when a large round mirror frame in my living room suddenly resembled the opening to a birdhouse. I imagined for a moment what it would be like for an enormous bird to pop through that opening into my space, and I could not shake the feeling of awe and wonder it created. I found myself compelled to make it a reality, and it has led me to a series of work I call “Portals.” These sculptures of oversized birds were born out of my love of nature and the wonder it brings into my life when a wild creature appears in my path. Made from a combination of traditional and non-traditional materials, including light fixture parts, plaster gauze and plastic spoons, they are also an expression of my love of experimenting and doing things differently. They exist in an “in-between” space, inhabiting a world between sculpture and painting, 3D work and wall art, nature and human made, and fantasy and reality. They have taken on a bit of a life of their own.