Visual Storytelling

By Judy Vienneau
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Visual Storytelling –
Explorations in Mixed Media and Wire Sculpture

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Through July 31
St Pete ArtWorks
Details here

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NEA/Pinellas Recovers Grant update

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Judy Vienneau’s recent art employs her talent for using various media, paint and a unique technique with wire to “draw in space,” resulting in artwork which falls somewhere between two and three dimensions. She creates paintings with collage on canvas or birch board, upon which wire figures are attached. The intention is for the mixed media background to highlight the story told by the wire figures.
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“Inside Looking Out” – Freestanding wire sculpture on base measuring 10” wide x 12” tall x 10” deep

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In Visual Storytelling, Judy presents pieces which portray concepts of human social interaction, as well as environmental concerns. One series shows scenes from pandemic isolation, and another series illustrates her interpretation of various classic proverbs. “I want the viewer to see and appreciate the message, as well as the unanswered questions I am depicting in my work, no matter how subtle.”

This exhibition was produced with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Pinellas and the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Judy Vienneau received a 2020 Creative Pinellas Emerging Artist Grant.
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“Faces in the Crowd” – 30” wide x 40” tall x 2” deep. Acrylic and pastel on birch board panel with wire sculpture in relief

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Artist Statement

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My background is infused by both the linear qualities of graphic illustration and the three-dimensional qualities of traditional clay modeling. I began back in the late 1990s to create my first wire sculpture, inspired by the work of Alexander Calder – depicting portraits and figures of both animals and humans. My Wall pieces emulate “drawing in space” – a combination of two and three dimensions – as the wire forms come away from the wall in relief.
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“A Stitch in Time Saves Nine” from the “Proverb” Series – 20” wide x 20” deep x 2” deep. Acrylic, collage, and mixed media on birch board panel with wire sculpture in relief

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Concurrently, I developed mixed media pieces which make statements about society, politics and culture, using clay and casting, found objects, metal, collage, fiber, mosaic and more in an interactive way to get my concept and message across.
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You can see a video of some of these works in my studio here.

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In my recent work, I create acrylic paintings on canvas or birch board, upon which I attach wire figures. In all cases, I start with an idea and a plan, which I sketch out first. The intention is for the painted background to highlight the story told by the wire figures.

My goal in my current work is to combine the figurative wire works with other media to make social commentary, while building a significant body of work utilizing this technique.
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jvienneauart.com

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Visual Storytelling: Explorations in Mixed Media and Wire Sculpture
by Judy Vienneau is on display at St Pete ArtWorks through July 31. A reception will be held July 9 from 5-9 pm during Second Saturday Art Walk, featuring wandering minstrel Barney Waterbury starting at 6 pm, and paint your own keepsake magnet in the classroom from 6 to 8 pm.
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Judy Vienneau working with wire

St. Pete ArtWorks, a Cooperative Art Gallery
2604 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg FL 33712.
Gallery hours – Tuesday-Saturday 11 am-7 pm, Sunday 12-4 pm
stpeteartworks-onlinestore.com

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Gulf Coast Artists Alliance/St. Pete ArtWorks
is a recipient of the Pinellas Recovers Grant,
provided by Creative Pinellas through a grant from the
National Endowment of the Arts American Rescue Plan.
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“The Gardener” from the “Isolation” Series. 14” wide x 11” tall x 4” deep. Wire sculpture, collage, acrylic paint, pastel pencil
“A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush” from the “Proverb” Series. 20” wide x 20” deep x 4” deep. Gouache on birch board panel with wire sculpture in relief

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