Brad Cushman
"Exploring uneven surfaces, textures, and repetitive patterns are the driving forces behind several works on paper. My compositions celebrate gestural movements, tension, balance, and the emotional impact of color. Sometimes, I begin with a blank page and build up the surface; other times, I recycle an older piece - cropping the page and reworking existing surfaces and textures. At times, it is less intimidating to graffiti over an older composition than to start anew. Knowing when to stop to capture a moment of sudden insight or discovery is an allusive act in the studio, I strive to capture those "ah-ha" moments at the drawing board."
The etchings in the collages are polymer gravure etchings or Solarplate etchings. They are created using a light sensitized steel backed polymer material, a safer alternative to more hazardous printing techniques.
"I have always loved collage and mixed media. I like the freedom to use whatever it takes to tell the story - paper, paint, photography, fabric, or found objects. I hope my work takes the viewer beyond the sentimental, giving them a place to reflect and sometimes laugh at who and what we are as a society. Since childhood, I have been "pulled in" by the pulse of popular culture and the poetics of fine art. The lines between these two aspects of our culture are often blurred. Creating work that negotiates those ambiguous spaces is a challenging goal, and when the piece works, there is a real sense of accomplishment."
Artist Bio
Katie Adkins is a photographer living in Little Rock, Arkansas. Originally a native of Atlanta, GA, she graduated from the Savannah College of Art & Design and soon after moved to western South Dakota. After spending more than eight years in the midwest, she has now settled back in the south, closer to home. Katie has worked in the art industry for many years, as artist, photojournalist, and curator.
Adkins has worked with Magnum photographers Martin Parr and Alex Webb along with Rebecca Norris-Webb on their creative projects including Martin Parr's commissioned show for The High Museum of Art's "Picturing the South" series in 2012. Her work has been exhibited in solo, group and juried exhibitions in galleries across the southern and midwestern United States including Local Color Studio, Fayetteville, AR; Perspective Gallery, Jonesboro, AR; Gallery 26, Little Rock, AR; Dahl Arts Center, Rapid City, SD; Washington Pavilion, Sioux Falls, SD; and Bloomington Theatre and Arts Center, Bloomington, MN.
Adkins was recently accepted to the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts's 2023-2025 Artist Registry, a juried list of 40 Arkansas women artists. Her work has been featured in a number of publications including most recently the French publication, OpenEye Magazine. Her photograph, Curiosity, from her series MIDWAY earned “Runner Up” for the Best in Show award this summer as part of a juried exhibition.
As a photojournalist Adkins’s photos have been published in The New York Times, Time Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The Guardian, and The Rapid City Journal. She currently works as a freelance photographer for The Associated Press.
Her work is part of public and private collections across the United States. Katie is represented by Boswell Mourot Fine Art Gallery. For more information, visit boswellmourot.com.
Inquiries
For pricing and availability, contact Boswell Mourot Fine Art at boswellmourotfineart@gmail.com or by phone 501.454.6969.