Artist Alison Moritsugu captures the essence of Mother Nature in her log paintings. These environmental pieces utilize trees as both the subject and the canvas. The fragmented nature of the trees allow the designer to paint directly onto the rustic wood. Once her realistic work is complete, what results is a painting that explores the history of American landscapes. Moritsugu allows viewers to see what America was like when settlers first arrived and additionally depicts the destructive effects of industrialization. This sense of strained duality is one of the main inspirations behind the artist's work. “I like the juxtaposition and tension created by having an image of nature on a section or sample of real nature,” she explains. It's this contrast that makes Moritsugu's work unique, causing viewers to reflect on how man has influenced nature and vice versa.
It's also important to note that the artist gathers her canvases from trees that have naturally fallen after a storm or from people who cut them down and plan to chip them. Moritsugu occasionally uses threatened species to make her work even more thought-provoking.
To view the artist's profound work in person, you can visit New York's Littlejohn Contemporary from November 12th to December 12th, 2015.
Alison Moritsugu: Website
via [Hi-Fructose, Knoxville Museum of Art Docent Newsletter]
