Stations of the Cross

In the spring of 2006, I was asked to participate in a two-person installation exhibition in a large gallery. Since my work is generally small (so ipso facto, doesn't fill that much linear footage) and I don't do installations.

Here's the beginning efforts of the project, to be installed in the Tuska Center for Contemporary Art at the University of Kentucky. Jan/Feb 2007. Eventually, all twelve of the images will be on the site.

The twelve paintings are based on the concept of the Stations of the Cross that, as a child, I was enamored with. I like the fact that the Loteria images ("Lottery", a bingo card game from Mexico) are used to do tarot readings as well as employed as a game. I am attracted to images that are heavily based on symbolism. I may continue to make more of these paintings after the twelve in order to tell different narratives depending on what I need to communicate at that point in my life. Also, I enjoy the fact that each viewer will translate in a different way, what they "read" into the body of work.

Each painting is approximately 60 by 36", and installed directly on the wall with brass upholestry tacks. The fake flowers are from this great store in Olive Hill, KY (even though my home address is "Olive Hill", I'm still a fur piece away) called Yang's Dollar Plus. It's got great kitschy Chinese things -- basically, it's my favorite Xmas shopping experience.

Scroll down to see the beginnings of the project - this is the first body of work I've worked on in my office space @ MSU. It's worked out OK, even though it can be a little distracting. There are images of the first piece completed, The Dame.

Three finished paintings installed in the Transgressions exhibition in the ArtWorks Gallery, 811 Race St., Cincy (from left to right: The Dandy, The Dame, Death).
Here's the current "studio" setup in my office. The rolled prime canvas (from Dick Blick, $37.00 per roll - good deal!), upholestry "tacked" to a sheet of foam insulation screwed to a 8' masonite screen. I love using the foam insulation as a support surface to apply the canvas onto because it has just enough give with still being rigid. A preparatory drawing is apply and I use a compass to draw the scallop edges.
The black scalloped edges halfway through. The whole painting is cut out around those scallops after the painting is complete.
Jennifer A. Reis; The Dame (from the Stations of the Cross series), 2006; Shaped acrylic painting with found objects; 60 x 36"; $900.00
Jennifer A. Reis; The Dame (from the Stations of the Cross series), 2006; Shaped acrylic painting with found objects; 60 x 36"; $900.00 (detail)