Alicia Forestall-Boehm
artist statement
SOFA Chicago, 2019
My work is inspired by my urban surroundings. Many people find cities overwhelming and intimidating. I am drawn to the innate sense of order and change that can define an urban existence. It takes many forms from the visual harmony of a windowed skyline to the continuous movement of a crowded sidewalk.
My encaustic and fiber sculptures reduce larger images and concepts into elegant simplified forms. I pare down basic elements of color, shape and movement to acknowledge another kind of space. My work considers elements of Chicago's rich history and culture as well as exploring the physical and mental boundaries of the public and private spaces we inhabit.
I use wax for its willingness to be transformed, both in form and texture.