Artwork by Laura Prevratil
There has been a long gap between the start of my art practice, as apprentice to Dan Flavin, and today. Suffice it to say that it was due to a terrible accident and the loss of use of one of my hands. At that time, I was pursuing my MFA in New York at Stony Brook University. Unfortunately, that educational process was interrupted by years of surgeries and inability to afford to return to art school. But, philosophically, it did not deter the desire in me to work and the influence of the heredity of generations of artisans that I came from.
And, above all, the love of glass and light stayed with me; as well as the love of classical art the Dan Flavin instilled in me.
During my years as apprentice and then curatorial assistant at the DIA Foundation in Bridgehampton New York, I had the opportunity to assist in the search and purchase of additional works for both the museum and private collections for Dan Flavin; as well as the compilation of works for display. This afforded me the great experience of working with artists such as James Brooks and researching the works of American artists such as John Frederick Kensett. Seeing the tie and influence of the old on the new.
I have always continued to work in different mediums and develop a method that is comfortable and expressive, working at my home in Florida and with the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach. Today I have almost full use of the hand again, and have reached a joy and familiarity with the mediums of tesserae and encaustic wax. They allow me to produce large, intricate pieces that contain precision and expression, while maintaining a connection with the old methods and beauty that they convey.
I have retired from my accounting practice and have been working for the past few years building and setting up my own studio; creating time and a place to create mosaics mixing the old materials of tesserae and encaustic wax with modern materials like resin. Italy is a vast reservoir of art and history that inspires continually. Returning here to my family foundations has allowed me to give back to the culture and family that gave me my values.
My aspiration is to expand my knowledge of the old methods while incorporating new processes into my works.
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