Marsha Balian

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Artist's statement

 

Three things compel me to make art. The first is a sense of mystery. I never know what will appear as I work. I may begin the process with shadowy ideas, while the force of curiosity holds my attention captive. Making art is like reading a “whodunit” without the focal point of a crime; I feel compelled to carry on until the conclusion. I don't mean to suggest art completes itself, or arrives with ghostly aid. Rather art is a riddle to answer, an equation to solve, a conundrum to settle. I find making art more absorbing than any other activity.

 

The second element is invention. I have no formal training. I simply test ideas, using whatever materials may be at hand. I incorporate found objects, paper, detritus. The risks of failure are perhaps no greater than in any other pursuit, regardless of education and training. Stubbornness trumps failure. I try until something works, until I'm satisfied.

 

The third influence is the power of story—both my own and the stories of others. Embedded in memory, swimming in our thoughts, we replay the narratives of our lives, perhaps to make sense of them, perhaps to extract threads of meaning.

 

I am retired from a long career as a health care provider. I had the privilege in that role to be eyes and ears—gathering data, stories, recognizing strength and struggle. The world is wildly entertaining and instructive. I continue to absorb stories, irony, and the humor just beneath the surface of life. That humor feeds me and infuses my art. Art is a place where I have the happy opportunity to celebrate and laugh.

 

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