Mycelium
art by: Alyssa Beckett
Books and art construct fictional, historical, scientific, or fantastical worlds.
Most typically, texts permit access to these places, but few possess the skills to comprehend all these realms. Some experience reading disabilities that prevent full admission to these worlds. Texts may be overwhelming and incomprehensible, whereas images may offer alternative entry to these worlds. On the other hand, images may confuse viewers trained to process texts.
My multimedia work creates a complex and confusing world disconnected from land-dwelling reality. Drawings overwhelm sculptures and paper to create a world of shifting relationships in which stability is elusive. Animal-like creatures animate a black-and-white environment, hiding in patterns that, at times, overwhelm the viewers. The creatures and their environment generate a sense of wonderment at their purpose, relationship to each other and the viewer, as well as their meaning.
Getting Lost
All of my artistic endeavors revolve around the concept of getting lost. As you explore this collection, you will notice a recurring theme: the presence of mysterious creatures subtly hidden within nearly every drawing. These creatures act as focal points within the artwork, symbolizing the experience of reading a book. Just as one can easily lose their place in a story, these hidden figures represent the moments of confusion and disorientation we all face. However, just like in reading, it is often possible to rediscover our path, even if it takes time and patience to find our way back to the narrative. Each piece invites you to engage in this journey of exploration, encouraging you to seek out these elusive elements while reflecting on the parallels between art and literature.
Color in the Mind
Just because the words are inked in black, reminiscent of many of my drawings, doesn’t imply that they lack vibrancy and richness. with this body of work I use colors to represent what we see as we read. As we journey through the pages of drawings, we conjure a spectrum of colors; we envision the vibrant landscapes that many books invites us to explore. This imaginative realm stretches across the vastness of sci-fi and fantasy, where boundless horizons teem with ancient civilizations and fantastical creatures that ignite our wildest dreams. It dances into the haunting shadows of horror and mystery, immersing us in a chilling atmosphere laden with suspense and foreboding, where the darkness seems to pulse with a life of its own.
We also encounter fiction that mirrors our own lives, where the characters’ struggles and triumphs resonate deeply with our personal experiences, capturing the nuanced emotions of existence in a poignant manner.
What unites these diverse genres is a singular truth: they remain mere silhouettes until the reader breathes life into them. Through this collection of draeing, my ambition is to evoke the rich sensation of becoming lost within the text, while simultaneously hinting at an elusive presence—something eager to unfold and share a story that exists just beyond the realm of capture.
My body of work is continuously growing, and as my work evolves, so will this site. I hope you will stay and join me on this journey! This body of work reflects my struggles with reading, as well as the love I have for it. Reading has been a challenge for me throughout my life, but just because something is difficult doesn't mean we have to dislike it. There are so many ways to read and understand a story now. There is no right or wrong way to read, whether it's through an e-book, audiobook, or physical book. All of these methods contribute to the experience of storytelling, and the stories in this collection just need to be shared.
