Flora David: Above And Below The Surface

Above And Below The Surface
The Artwork of Flora Davis & John Kuzich
November 12, 2008 - January 17, 2009

Working like a Zen alchemist, Flora Davis creates her own patined surfaces by applying an eclectic mix of chemicals and compounds to copper, brass, aluminum and steel. Through multiple applications she achieves an amazing range of patterns, textures and colors. These are then cut up and applied to geometric box shapes. Involved in Buddhist mindfulness meditation, Davis works intuitively and sees her work as surface oriented.

Flora Davis
Artist Statement

"Over the years, my Buddhist practice has reinforced the way I approach art making, which is to begin with an open mind/no mind. I may have an idea of what I want to create or an inspiration, yet I will allow my mind to become soft, and let the materials dictate the process of the unfolding creation. My work is thus spontaneously made.

I find my subject matter and inspiration in nature, such as in the textures and patterns on rocks, a field of blowing grass, or monolithic rock formations in Yosemite Valley. I am not interested in representing reality, but the beauty I experience in reality. My work is therefore abstract, as I strive toward simplicity of forms and shapes and textures.

For many years my materials were quite literally made from nature. I used clay, wax, sand, charcoal as my medium, adding leaves and sticks as accents. Gradually I began to add metals, and by 2002 they took over completely. Why did metal as copper, steel, aluminum, brass become my new fascination? I am not sure, other than they gradually grabbed my attention as I learned, through multiple application of ingredients, to work an amazing range of patterns, textures and colors on the surface. The "ingredients" range from kitchen staples like salt, water, vinegar, and baking soda, to cleaning products like bleach, ammonia, and Comet cleanser, to other agents such as sawdust, muriatic acid and commercially produced metal surfacers."

Reception For The Artists
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
5:00pm-8:00pm

Gallery 645
at Michael Thompson Framing
647 & 645 7th Street
San Francisco CA, 94103
Telephone - 415-861-5717
www.mtframing.com
www.gallery645.net