Elizabeth Schulz

artist statement
My work has been largely influenced by the Dada and Environmental art movements, as well as philosopher Gaston Bachelard’s book Poetics of Space, and Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves. I have devoted the last year to exploring the concept of the self from a non-figurative standpoint. I am particularly interested in the idea that the “self” is actually a synecdoche, a body consisting of a number of smaller pieces, each acting within the greater whole.
While others can readily perceive what we project outwardly, the inner workings of a person are much more difficult to comprehend. Rather than attempting to simplify complex emotional states into a sort of shorthand (like the way one uses emoji), I envision them as an elaborate biosphere of varying terrains and climates. Often, I incorporate man-made or architectural elements into the pieces as a metaphor for the physical self. This juxtaposition allows me to reflect upon the natural tension that exists between the inner and outer, and the ways that they can complement one another.
Part of my work also deals with memory, an aspect of the self I feel is crucial to the development of one’s identity. Working with cyanotypes has allowed me to create a sort of ghost image of these landscapes to illustrate the hazy nature of memory and time. Conversely, traumatic memories are more static, fossilizing into objects that can become stumbling blocks in our evolution from childhood to adult.
My approach has become increasingly cross-disciplinary, utilizing a wide variety of materials to explore philosophical ideas. Sometimes I find a painting is the best way to achieve a sense of atmosphere or create layers of color, while other concepts are better expressed through three-dimensional pieces. Developing my practice this way has enabled me to delve more deeply into the subject of the self, allowing the concepts to dictate their form rather than the medium limiting the exploration of an idea.

bio
Saint Louis based artist Elizabeth Schulz received her Associate of Arts and Sciences from Saint Louis Community College in 2014, and will graduate from UMSL with a BFA in studio art in May 2020.  Although her degree emphasis is in painting, her approach is cross-disciplinary. She is a self-taught photographer, and enjoys incorporating sculpture and printmaking processes like intaglio and lithography into her work. Much of her inspiration comes from nature, particularly the time she spent living in the Pacific Northwest, as well as concepts drawn from books, film, and music. Her pieces frequently deal with themes pertaining to self-reflection, philosophy, humor, and magical realism.