Gary A. Bibb - Mixed Media Art

2009-09-11T18:04:00.017-06:00

These videos are summary presentations of art created between July 2008 and March 2009. A more detailed portfolio is available in the postings on this site, along with some of my published essays. Additional examples of my art are found on the other websites - see the link list to the right.

Art: Jul - Dec 2008

Art: Jan - Mar 2009

"03-26-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-31T18:50:00.024-06:00

A glimpse into the manner and method of my art:

The artist's creative process is more than an intellectual puzzle or an emotional exercise; it is an expression of the soul whereby the rational, emotional and spiritual components of our being work in concert, each playing an integral role.

Confronted with uncertainty and disorder, we strive to resolve these conflicts. An artist develops a compulsion to complete the task of selecting, signifying and organizing the various pictorial elements until a personal sense of balance, harmony and purpose is achieved.

When we are immersed in this process, working toward resolution, a disclosure, an unfolding, a mysterious revelation of the "inner man" occurs. Our complex system of conscious and subconscious awareness is activated and engaged, enabling us to draw upon the sum of our experiences: The whole of our being becomes involved in the problem-solving challenge.

Gary A. Bibb

For additional insight, please read my essays "The Redemption of Rubbish" from the Under the Influence Exhibition Book posted on February 9, 2009 and "White on White" from the exhibition book posted on February 8, 2009.

"03-19-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-31T18:49:00.000-06:00

"03-16-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-31T18:48:00.000-06:00

"03-14-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-31T18:47:00.000-06:00

"03-11-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-12T14:53:00.000-06:00

"03-07-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-12T14:51:00.000-06:00

"03-04-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-03-12T14:49:00.000-06:00

"02-24-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

"02-21-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

"02-19-09" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

"02-04-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:27:00.000-07:00

"01-30-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:25:00.000-07:00

"01-27-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:23:00.000-07:00

"01-24-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:22:00.000-07:00

"01-21-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:19:00.000-07:00

"01-18-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

"01-13-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:09:00.000-07:00

"01-10-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:07:00.000-07:00

"01-07-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T03:01:00.000-07:00

"01-05-09" Mixed Media Assemblage

2009-02-12T02:49:00.000-07:00

"12-30-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:14:00.000-07:00

"12-28-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:13:00.000-07:00

"12-26-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:12:00.000-07:00

"12-24-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:11:00.000-07:00

"12-23-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:10:00.000-07:00

"12-21-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:09:00.000-07:00

"12-20-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T02:08:00.000-07:00

"12-14-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T01:51:00.000-07:00

"12-11-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-10T01:50:00.000-07:00

"12-05-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-10T01:48:00.000-07:00

"11-21-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

"Under the Influence" Exhibition

2009-02-09T22:56:00.000-07:00

"11-20-08" Mixed Media Collage

"Under the Influence" Exhibition

2009-02-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

"Macchine Naturali" - Homage to Joseph Stella
Found-Object Collage

Essay from "Under the Influence" Exhibition Book

2009-02-09T22:05:00.001-07:00

Longview Museum of Fine Arts - Longview, TX - Spring 2009
Co-sponsored by The International Museum of Collage and Assemblage - Ft. Worth, TX

(First Edition available online at collagemuseum.com).

The Redemption of Rubbish

by Gary A. Bibb

Utilizing found-object materials in the construction of Fine Art has long been regarded as visually and metaphorically viable. For nearly a century, artists have collected non-art objects with the intent of incorporating them within their compositions. The results have repeatedly proven that the creative process of selection, signification and organization can elevate even the most humble scraps of human detritus into beautiful, majestic forms.

Joseph Stella (1877 – 1946, Italian/American) is widely recognized as a Futurist and a Symbolic Narrative painter; however, beginning in 1918 he conceived an intimate, personal language through the use of found-object materials. His collages became an expression of deeply felt, private sensibilities. They were rarely exhibited during his lifetime and have just recently come to light as profoundly significant.

Stella’s collages are simple presentations of weather-worn wrappers and paper debris organized into minimal compositions. Within a majority of the pieces he is not attempting to define form and space by employing the popular cubistic manner of design; but rather, he arranges the found materials so as to define the fundamental aesthetics of the objects themselves. Emphasis is on the visual impact of the actual materials and the dynamics of their juxtaposition. In so doing, Stella reveals the intrinsic beauty of the fabricated objects along with an inherent tragedy of rejection and de-humanization. He was at the vanguard of exploring these aesthetic sensibilities by using discarded found-objects to convey the effects of modernity and the mechanized age on the human condition. This is perhaps Joseph Stella’s greatest contribution to our artistic heritage.

The influence of Stella’s collages on my art began in the late 1970’s. After graduating from college in 1975, I embarked on a journey of self-examination and artistic exploration with the intent of developing a personal visual style. While foraging back-alleys and industrial sites for unusual pieces of paper, I discovered an affinity for the found-objects most commonly regarded as trash. My aesthetic foundation was solidifying during this period and I began identifying with the weathered materials. There was something significant, authentic and genuine about the discarded rubbish. Although rejected and deemed valueless, it appeared the found-objects were attempting to resist the ravages of time and maintain a sense of dignity. A metaphor was forming. These scraps of paper, cardboard, wood and metal were beginning to symbolize the concept of intrinsic value and the noble character of perseverance. I came to realize that through artistic intervention, discarded items could be transformed into expressions of renewed purpose, hope and beauty.

During the ensuing years, I constructed many collages using found-objects to explore this metaphoric concept. Then, in late 1978 or 1979, I discovered a magazine which featured a Joseph Stella collage. This piece of art was composed of worn, stained paper; and it seemed very familiar. The similarity to some of my own work was uncanny – however, his collage had been constructed nearly 50 years prior to mine. I was encouraged by the discovery because it confirmed and supported my own art. Independently, I had devised a similar use of materials and developed a visual language capable of articulating profound ideals.

The utilization of found-objects to express an aesthetic ideology remains integral to my artistic intent. Incorporating collected items, along with various media and techniques, expands my visual vocabulary and adds an objective dimension to my art. Therefore, the ideas expressed are not merely limited to the realm of ethereal thought but also enter into the viewer’s tangible reality.

"11-05-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

"11-04-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

"11-03-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

"11-02-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

"10-31-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

"10-30-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-09T21:26:00.000-07:00

"10-28-08 #2 Drawing

2009-02-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

"10-28-08 #1" Drawing

2009-02-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

"10-21-08 #2" Mixed Media

2009-02-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

"10-19-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

"10-16-08 #2" Mixed Media

2009-02-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

"10-16-08 #1" Drawing

2009-02-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

"10-15-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

"10-13-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

"10-12-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

"10-11-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

"10-10-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:46:00.001-07:00

"10-10-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

"10-09-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

"10-08-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

"10-07-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:40:00.002-07:00

"10-06-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:40:00.001-07:00

"10-03-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

"10-02-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:36:00.002-07:00

"09-30-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:36:00.001-07:00

"09-28-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

"09-25-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:29:00.002-07:00

"09-23-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:29:00.001-07:00

"09-20-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-09T12:28:00.001-07:00

"09-19-08" Drawing

2009-02-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

"09-14-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

"09-13-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

"09-11-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

"09-08-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

"09-04-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

"09-03-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

"09-02-08" Mixed Media Collage

2009-02-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

"08-13-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

"08-08-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

"07-27-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

"07-25-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:30:00.001-07:00

"07-23-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:28:00.001-07:00

"07-15-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

"07-14-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:24:00.000-07:00

"07-13-08" Mixed Media

2009-02-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #49" Mixed Media Collage (2008)

2009-02-08T11:16:00.004-07:00

To view the entire Reveal - Conceal Series please click here: Gary A. Bibb - Mixed Media Art Gallery #3 - garyabibbthree.blogspot.com

"Reveal - Conceal #48" Mixed Media Collage (2008)

2009-02-08T04:10:00.002-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #47" Mixed Media Collage (2008)

2009-02-08T04:08:00.002-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #43" Mixed Media Collage (2008)

2009-02-08T04:06:00.002-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #41" Mixed Media Collage (2008)

2009-02-08T04:04:00.002-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #38" Mixed Media Collage (2008)

2009-02-08T04:02:00.002-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #33" Mixed Media Collage (2007)

2009-02-08T03:59:00.003-07:00

White On White Exhibit - Ft. Worth Art Center 2007

2009-02-08T03:33:00.001-07:00

"Reveal - Conceal #31" Mixed Media Collage (2007)

White On White Exhibit - Ft. Worth Art Center 2007

2009-02-08T03:26:00.000-07:00

"Sustaining Balance" Collage, 2007

Essay from the book - White On White - Art Exhibit, Ft. Worth Art Center - 2007

2009-02-08T02:33:00.000-07:00

Exhibition book available from: collagemuseum.com/white-on-white-catalog.html

White On White

by Gary A. Bibb

The visual theme for this exhibition challenged the participants to answer the question: Can an artist effectively convey a cohesive visual statement by limiting the use of color? Furthermore, it wasn’t a simple monochromatic criterion that was enforced, but rather one that narrows the parameters even further - where color is nearly eliminated altogether.

Most artists incorporate color in their visual vocabulary for emotional impact and they utilize it, along with the other formal elements (i.e. line, form, value, texture, image, etc.), to communicate their message. Without the seduction and impact of color (or in the case of some pieces, keeping it to a minimum) the strength of the remaining elements determines the effectiveness of the artwork in conveying the content – the message. Reducing the palette to white forced the artists to reconsider their visual vocabulary and challenged them to incorporate a more simplified linguistic approach. By limiting the color boundaries, the artists were actually liberated to distill their imagery to its fundamental essence.

Within the context of this exhibition, composed predominately of collage and assemblage artists, it is of special interest to note that artists who gravitate to these artistic techniques generally possess an acute awareness of subtle variations in texture. The use of white is well suited in accentuating this attribute. All other colors (including gray and black) fail to display the full range of dynamic subtleties present in shadows cast within a white environment.

In summary, white can represent simplicity - the absolute minimal, the fundamental, or the elimination of irrational emotions; however, it can also convey light, purity, virtue, spiritual essence, Divine holiness, or a sense of hope and peace. Regardless of the generalized interpretations set forth, the artist and the corresponding audience ultimately determine the symbolic meaning of color and art. It is within this interpersonal relationship of artist and audience where we find the potential for consummation and satiation of our human desire for soul to soul communication.