Featured Artist Phyllis Tracy Malinow

Artist Phyllis Tracy Malinow creates intricate mixed media rice paper sculpture with a deep connection to the human soul and nature. See more by visiting her website.

 

 

An ample inner world has been flowing in me for a long time. Always loving Degas’ color with his pastels, the powerful shapes and human struggles of the Mexican muralists, William Blake’s visual spirituality Käthe Kollwitz’s anguish and tenderness as the other German Expressionists painted their strong statements, Van Gogh’s unique vibrance of textural colors emoted in brushstrokes, Chagall’s spontaneous fables, as well as Francis Bacon’s in-your-face vision—all so inspirational. However, the beauty and power of nature has been my backbone. They all laid the groundwork for my own visual expression.

 

 

I learned by absorbing basics of art making from a life-changing instructor while subconsciously interpreting through my own perceptions naturally. I am drawn to the human soul and nature.

 

 

My Dad had been an oil painter before I was born. He became a master paperhanger, craftsman/artist for financial survival. Developing enormous skill creatively, he hung murals, rare papers irreplaceable and priceless, and at times he painted in missing details when necessary.

 

 

Eventually as an adult, I was blessed working surrounded by some of the most gifted creators in professional theater, which lit my own inner light. Experiencing a legendary set and lighting designer of the 20th Century painting/designing at his drafting table daily was a rare glimpse of supreme talent, vision, and discipline plus his vignettes spanning the early 1900’s. So with this sumptuous assortment in the Arts within, all led to my own visual passions and discoveries as an artist.

 

 

These important, intimate influences fueled my own driven energy, imagination through a force intangible, unexplainable, perhaps spiritual with innovative life.

 

 

I began with oil painting, laying a palette of primary colors, mixing them as my inner voice directed. They became visual stories. Several years later I tackled woodblock printmaking which taught me a far more disciplined medium. Carving beautiful, organic wood was thrilling but my eye needed more of a “painterly,” colorful outcome on paper so I ventured more to create texture and color with chine collé (rice papers) in the process.

 

 

Eventually I was “home” experimenting, opening up my own technique of mixed media, rice paper woodblock monoprints which technically is somewhat complex. All my experience artfully gave rise to exploring sculpture. My tools were years of art making. Through mixed media, rice paper masks I began developing mixed media, rice paper sculpture. My artwork is each one of a kind art pieces (1/1). I’m a resourceful, primitive soul.

 

 

Now, my journey has taken me to sculpture which again presents new art challenges of dimension, mixed media supplies and storytelling. Its demands are thrilling and complex as I discover, keep plowing ahead, embracing the elements of all the art techniques I acquired to create art.

 

 

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