Concept:
Two of my favorite poems, written by William Blake, are from his collections Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. William Blake, an English poet, painter, and printmaker, is an identity to which I can largely relate. Although tragically overlooked during his lifetime, Blake is now a seminal figure in the history of poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. On opposing walls of the barn-shaped birdhouse, the two poems are depicted in a style that nods to blackletter typography and linocut prints. By blending my passion for in-the-round sculpture and printmaking, specifically linocut and letterpress, I have created a visual representation of the contrast and juxtaposition inherent in Blake’s poetry. The monochromatic aesthetic accentuates the moody character of Romantic period art. This work honors William Blake as one of the many notable Romanticist poets, emphasizing his focus on emotion and individualism, as well as the idealization of the past and nature.
