ARTIST STATEMENT - Maggie Parr

As a narrative oil painter, I am interested in the stories behind the subjects of my paintings. More specifically, I create hybrid fantasy characters by deconstructing figures and integrating them with non-human objects, both industrial and organic, and then I create stories around them. These magical beings have peopled my imagination since childhood; now that I express them through paint, they are more real to me than ever. Once I start a canvas, even if I have an idea of the finished image, I never know who will decide to appear. The fantastic characters and atmospheres I create are embedded with social and personal messages that relate to a larger reality.

The "Refining Spirits" collection attempts to capture the horrifying and complex beauty of giant refineries, which are both a source and symbol of post-industrial civilization. The industrial complex becomes an anthropomorphic entity, a living and breathing creature. Human figures interact with machinery, thereby blurring boundaries between man and machine. Set against an urban landscape, "Refining Spirits" introduces conflicts between the self and the other, divergent cultures, environments, and belief systems. Political themes are implied and questions are raised, but answers are left open to interpretation.

“Beyond the Skin” and “Denizens of Heaven” are painted in the vein of “Figurative Magical Realism” – the exploration of the figure in fantastic or dream-like variations. Spiritual iconography is used to communicate a sense of global connectedness and notions of the divine in a post-postmodern world.