MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
March 14, 2022
This week we recognize the work of artist Ulrike Arnold.
"Earth has been the theme of my work over four decades, in a most concrete and tangible way: I use it when I paint outside allowing nature— wind, rain and sun—to be my accomplices."
Arnold’s paintings can be viewed as a tactile micro or macrocosmos. They preserve and structure a fraction of the skin of our earth from close up while also allowing for a perspective from outer space. They are a reminder both of the beauty and of the vulnerability of the planet we all need to protect.
"OneWorldPainting (above) is a dialogue of Earth from five continents including salt and sands from deserts, volcanoes and prehistoric caves, rock formations and river beds. It is symbolic of the deep communion of all the nations in the world. Two large canvases, are displayed together as a giant exclamation mark, a political statement to honor, preserve and protect the very soil on which all mankind walks. I have used colors from my trips over the past 40 years, minerals that glimmer and mud that provides a wealth of shades; reds, blues, yellows and greens. When these two canvas pieces combine, they create a harmonious and beautiful ensemble, a call to every individual and to all nations for peace and protection of our natural environment. A powerful statement to move forward."
Arnold's paintings are an open invitation to the viewer to connect to our planet, to trigger an awareness of our coming and going. They capture something of the beauty of the earth which has been resisting the onslaught of climate change and multiple crises. For 17 years, Arnold has also painted with meteorite dust, which she gets from a Meteor researcher, she met by coincidence. This material is witness to the origin of our planet in the solar system. Her paintings pay homage to the earth and its place within the cosmos.
Ulrike Arnold paints with earth, sand and rocks. She travels to remote places on all continents, where she paints in situ, exposed to the weather and the natural forces of the environment. She collects her painting materials and mixes them with a binder to paint her huge canvases. They capture the essence of the places, where she travels. Arnold was born is Düsseldorf, Germany and currently lives and works between Düsseldorf and Flagstaff, Arizona. ulrikearnold.com
Featured Images: ©Ulrike Arnold, outdoor studio in Utah; (3) Gif images are "Cueva de la Chulacao, Atacama, Chile" (2014); "Cordillera de la Sal, Atacama, Chile" (2014); "Valle de Arcoiris, Atacama, Chile" (2014); "OneWorldPainting"(2019); "Meteorite #04," (2021); "Full Moon" (1991), Bisbee, Arizona, double-sided painting with earth and meteorite dust in the former collection of Dennis Hopper; below is the artist's portrait by Petra W. Barathova.
