Reflection
Weston,CT: Ellen Schiffman. Ellen Schiffman has worked as a professional artist for over 30 years in her Connecticut studio. She is a multimedia artist working in a range of modalities including fiber art, collage, sculpture, photography, printing, cyanotype, eco printing and, most recently, book art. She often combines multiple media in a single piece. Throughout her career, she has been an avid explorer of both material and technique, often including found objects and everyday humble items in her pieces. Serendipity and surprise are hallmarks of her singular work. She has exhibited her work nationwide, including numerous museum shows and solo exhibits. She has received multiple awards for her work and has been featured in online and print publications, including several books. Her work reflects a fascination with texture, pattern, color, organic shapes, sculptural forms, the majesty of nature, and the beauty of imperfection.
The pandemic shut-down provided Ellen with an abundance of time to explore and experiment with some media that were new to her. She started making books during this time. She felt an immediate connection with the materials and the techniques of this compelling art form and found the process of making books a meditative balm for stressful times. Books have allowed her the opportunity to present her work in new and exciting ways. She celebrates the fact, unlike most other forms of art, the viewer gets to touch and interact with a book, thereby becoming an active participant in the process of the book becoming a meaningful piece of art. She frequently uses her books to present a body of related art work, while just as often she uses them as vehicles to capture the essence of memorable places, issues and moments in time. As the worst of the pandemic has subsided, Ellen has continued her book making journey, exhibiting her books in notable book art exhibits nationwide.
This highly original sculptural book demonstrates Ellen's history as a fiber artist and her mastery of fiber design. It is part of a series she defines as 'Fragments.' She writes: "inspiration from this series is drawn from across cultures and time, influenced by the artistic touchstones of my own world as well as the people and places I have encountered in my travels. Lacemaking from around the globe, Mogul patterns and architecture, fragmented antiquities, the ethereal white of the Taj Mahal, temple embellishments from southeast Asia, the meditative and healing power of the mandala and the magic of handwork all have a voice in these pieces. The forces of nature and the passage of time bring fragmentation, frailty and vulnerability. These destructive forces are tempered, however, by resilience and strength, thereby bringing hope of survival." The work is presented in a gray cloth covered box with a title label and ornate fiber sculpture on the front cover. When the box is opened, one sees another fragment sculpture that is mirrored by an original photo of the design affixed to the back of the front cover. A label there has the following quote from Edith Wharton: "There are 2 ways of spreading light; to be the mirror or the candle that reflect it." In fine condition. Measures 8.25 x 10.25 x 1.75 inches. ARTB/071124. Fine.
Item #37362
Price: $525.00