April 5–28, 2024 @ Fischman Gallery
Fischman Gallery presents"Torn Between: Collage and Paper Pulp Paintings by Taylor Norris" for the month of April.Through the unique medium of collage, employing torn recycled paper and raw pulp, Norris's pieces emerge as textured narratives, weaving together the seen and the remembered, the real and the imagined. The exhibit opens April 5, with a reception from 6:30-9 p.m.
Norris is a mixed media artist from Northeast Tennessee. They received a BFA in painting from ETSU in 2013, and have been participating in regional shows and art markets since. Norris makes textured collage paintings using a variety of non-traditional and repurposed materials. Dreamlike and exuberant, their work seeks to become a sensory experience that can be lost in, or to be a place where one can find meaning in something that was once mundane.
"The process of creating these collages is a means of connection—to the earth, to my roots in Appalachia, and to the myriad experiences that shape my existence," Norris says. "As an autistic individual, the tactile quality of my work is important; the varied textures are not only a fundamental aspect of my artistic practice but also a bridge to the world around me, allowing me to connect with nature and my surroundings in a deeply personal and profound way."
Norris's art is an exploration of personal recovery and reclamation. Images of the earth reclaiming its space — such as hands of kudzu vines tearing down an abandoned barn — serve as powerful metaphors for regeneration and resilience. These themes are a reflection of their own journey as a disabled person finding unique ways to engage with the natural world, an act of reclaiming agency and presence within a landscape that is both familiar and alienating.
This body work is an ode to Appalachia, a region whose beauty and complexity are central to Norris's identity and their art. It is a meditation on the themes of loss, memory, and the relentless passage of time, yet also a testament to the strength found in vulnerability, the possibility of renewal, and the enduring power of the earth to heal and to harbor.
"Torn Between: Collage and Paper Pulp Paintings by Taylor Norris" will be at Fischman Gallery from April 5-28. An opening reception takes place April 5 from 6:30-9 p.m. Fischman Gallery, 133 N Commerce St, Johnson City, is free and open to the public, and is accessible from the Commerce Street entrance. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information visit the gallery on Facebook and Instagram, emailfischmangallery@gmail.com, or call 423-430-8441.
Category: Exhibits