MIPCES Exhibition: Liz Mitchell

If you are a new visitor to Polymer Art Archive, you can find background about this event in the 2 posts, Past, Present Future and All About MIPCES.

Vue de Moos

For the MIPCES catalog, Liz Mitchell wrote:

“In creating my work I use techniques and images that combine, dissect, and rearrange objects from everyday life. Through this process I attempt to recognize the paradox of the push and pull of daily influences that contribute to, yet steal from the creative process. Using the book as a literal narrative format, my intent is to record the passage of time and the people and events that I have shared this time with.”

Recently Liz wrote about another piece in the exhibition saying:

I Have a Book in My Head

“In 1996 when the idea for MIPCES was being developed, my father-in-law, Bill Mitchell was diagnosed with emphysema. He had always wanted to write down and self publish his family stories. We both agreed that this was as good a time as any to start putting pen to paper. He was slowing down. I offered to fly down to Florida, where he was living and tape record his memories of raising my husband and his siblings.

At the time, I was working on a series of pieces for the MIPCES exhibition related to the book.

I flew down to Florida to meet my father-in-law and spent hours listening to the melodic rhythm of his Birmingham, Alabama accent. I was able to record the stories on tape and planned to transcribe them for him. I had also planned to help him write the family stories after I returned home.

Once home, I began on my work for MIPCES, having to put off the writing until after the exhibition. I Have a Book in My Head was created during the pause between hearing the stories and writing the stories. A small book of the transcriptions from my father-in -law’s stories sits within the head of this sculptural polymer clay piece. A trap door opens from the back of the skull to reveal the book. It represents all of the stories of our lives that we hold in our minds and memories.

The actual execution came easily, like energy flowing in the right direction. I have kept this piece in my own collection.

I remember the time of MIPCES being a creatively rich time.

My recent work includes a combination of media. I have continued to work in the narrative, most recently making an installation of twelve pairs of worn shoes made from many layers of paper, thread and wax. I am drawn to transforming materials to create work that reflects ancient timeworn surfaces. This surface element of my work has always been important to me from my days of working with polymer clay to the present.”

CONSERVATION
polymer clay, wire, fabric, handcolored copier transfers
13½” L x 3/8” W x 4¼” H

Liz Mitchel with her work at the MIPCES Exhibition

You can see Liz’s current work at her website: www.lizmitchell.net