First Place, Painting

Joe Olney

Quilt 241

Graphite, Acrylic, Gesso, Wood Putty on Wood

22 x 17.5 x 1.5"

$750

LIVE and Online

Traditional American quilts and military service ribbons inspired this piece. 

Artist's Statement:

My work involves sculpting, drawing, and painting with a variety of materials and is a reflection of my interest in the American quilting tradition, geology, skateboarding, and military culture and symbolism. I believe there is a great power in simple geometric forms, and I am particularly drawn to designs and objects that incorporate softness and hardness, aggressiveness and passiveness, old traditions and new. When creating my work I sometimes think...Can a stone be a blanket? Can fabric shield you from gunfire? If a quilt were a battlefield, what kind of safety could it provide? How would this surface feel if I ran across it, slid across it, ollied off it? These questions pop up in part because I'm a combat veteran, and I'm reminded of the effects of war on a daily basis. I look for safety, comfort, power, and a chance to let myself go in order to help me get through the day.