|
John and Marilyn are among the
earliest residents of the Kayenta community in Ivins--a town nestled
at the base of the Red Mountains in southwestern Utah. The artists
gain inspiration from the immediacy of nature and culture of the
southwest. Aside from the red rock cliffs and panoramic views of
the Santa Clara plateau, they are influenced by the political and
cultural histories of people throughout the Americas. They
embrace the American heritage of mixed cultures, often drawing
from the Old West as well as Spanish colonial religious
iconography. Their works have included imagery of southwestern
landscapes as well as portraits of Native Americans and influential
artists.
John and Marilyn have been creating art for over thirty years. The
pair have focused on wood working, with an emphasis on
cabinet-making, for approximately twenty-five years. All
cabinets are completely handcrafted by John with mortise and tenon
joinery. Comprehensive finishing processes of carving, painting,
staining, sanding, burning, and waxing make up rich, multi-layered
"canvases" for Marilyn's mixed media paintings of metals, glass,
paper, and miscellaneous found objects. Quality craftsmanship
is evident in each fully finished work--woodwork details at the rear
and interior of each cabinet, interior finishing (including the
undersides of shelves and interior side panels), hardware details,
and often a second painting by Marilyn on the interior of the
cabinet door.
|
