Diana Baumbach
dbaumbac@uwyo.edu
www.uwyo.edu/art
Laramie, WY
dbaumbac@uwyo.edu
www.uwyo.edu/art
Laramie, WY
Artist Statement:
My work explores the intersection between
art, design and everyday life.
I focus on the formal arrangement of
shapes, patterns and colors using a
combination of printmaking, painting and
various hand-skills. Most of my work
employs a limited color palette, almost
exclusively on a paper substrate, and takes
the form of books, paper sculptures and two
dimensional works.
I am inspired by the formal and emotional
qualities of commonplace objects and
ephemera as well as the “high design” of
luxury goods. My recent work is about
recontextualizing functional design. I allow
the shapes and patterns of household items
such as paper towels, napkins, printed
fabrics and furniture to inform the aesthetic
of my own work. By laboring over the
construction of my own “disposable” goods,
I take them out of the realm of use and put
the on display for study and appreciation.
I find comfort in repetitive processes, such
as piercing, stuffing, weaving or folding, that
involve a basic action which becomes
automatic to the body over time. Once I
understand the simple mechanics of a
process, subtle variations come to life. I’ve
also found that monotonous processes
allow me the ability to start and stop.
Because of this, my studio work travels
home with me to be worked on while also
participating in day-to-day domestic
activities, not unlike quilting or knitting.
My use of patterns allows me to highlight the
imperfections and variations inherent in all
things handmade. There is a tension
between the precision with which I can craft
an object and the expectations that the
viewer has about how my work is
constructed. Often, I heighten the
appearance of mechanical reproduction in
my work through adherence to a grid and
emphasis on craft. As such, I’m quietly
alluding to the contemporary life dominated
by mass production by making the viewer
aware more conscious of the handmade
My work explores the intersection between
art, design and everyday life.
I focus on the formal arrangement of
shapes, patterns and colors using a
combination of printmaking, painting and
various hand-skills. Most of my work
employs a limited color palette, almost
exclusively on a paper substrate, and takes
the form of books, paper sculptures and two
dimensional works.
I am inspired by the formal and emotional
qualities of commonplace objects and
ephemera as well as the “high design” of
luxury goods. My recent work is about
recontextualizing functional design. I allow
the shapes and patterns of household items
such as paper towels, napkins, printed
fabrics and furniture to inform the aesthetic
of my own work. By laboring over the
construction of my own “disposable” goods,
I take them out of the realm of use and put
the on display for study and appreciation.
I find comfort in repetitive processes, such
as piercing, stuffing, weaving or folding, that
involve a basic action which becomes
automatic to the body over time. Once I
understand the simple mechanics of a
process, subtle variations come to life. I’ve
also found that monotonous processes
allow me the ability to start and stop.
Because of this, my studio work travels
home with me to be worked on while also
participating in day-to-day domestic
activities, not unlike quilting or knitting.
My use of patterns allows me to highlight the
imperfections and variations inherent in all
things handmade. There is a tension
between the precision with which I can craft
an object and the expectations that the
viewer has about how my work is
constructed. Often, I heighten the
appearance of mechanical reproduction in
my work through adherence to a grid and
emphasis on craft. As such, I’m quietly
alluding to the contemporary life dominated
by mass production by making the viewer
aware more conscious of the handmade
| Groundcover, Paper, Plexi, Wood; 40"x40"x8" 2008 |
| Rings; Paper and Wood; 22"x30" 2009 |
| Diamond Net 1,Graphite on Paper on Panel; 10"x10" 2008 |
| Diamond Net 2, Graphite on Paper on Panel; 10"x10" 2008 |
| Variation on a Form:Grid, Paper; 22"x30" 2008 |
| Variation on a Form:Two Poms, Paper; 22"x30" 2008 |