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Artist
Statement
It seems that I have always been
studying, creating or involved with art. As a child growing up in New
Jersey I took art classes both in and out of school and visited the many
museums in NYC. When it was time to go to college, I knew I was going to
be an art major. I attended Boston University’s School for the Arts where
I received a BFA in Painting. During this time I took two years of
printmaking which led to my lifelong passion for printmaking. As
graduation approached, and realizing I had no specific job skills, I
enrolled in a MFA Studio Teaching program where I earned a K-12 teaching
certificate. This teaching program and the introduction to printmaking
have influenced every aspect of my art to this day.
When I took my first printmaking class I
fell in love with the materials and process. The rich black lines,
textures and tactile responses it elicited in me was something I could not
find in my undergraduate paintings. While completing my MFA program, I was
encouraged to play and experiment with materials. Emphasis was placed on
the creative responses to materials rather than the finished product. This
complemented my feelings about printmaking. Most of my prints are
monotypes or monoprints and I often work back into them with paint,
drawing materials or collage.
My discovery and ensuing passion for
encaustic paints is a logical outgrowth of printmaking. Like printmaking,
encaustics are very experimental in nature. In fact the process of
painting with encaustics will often dictate the outcome of the image. The
unpredictability of this medium is one of my strongest attractions to it.
Encaustics also lend themselves to collage, so I often incorporate prints,
found objects and paper into my paintings.
In 1986 my husband and I moved to
Newport, Rhode Island and eventually we settled in Portsmouth. Both my
homes have had views of the water, fields, marshes, the endless sky and
horizon that surrounds Aquidneck Island. This beautiful visual environment
has had a strong impact on my work. My images are often landscape
oriented and reflect my impressions of light, colors, patterns and
textures at an observed or recalled moment in time.
In addition to my involvement with
DeBlois Gallery, I am an active member of the Art League of Rhode Island
and the Portsmouth Arts Guild. I have been a Drawing and Printmaking
Instructor at The Newport Art Museum School for the past twenty years.
I can be reached by email,
fstouhey@cox.net |
Windows &
Walls 3
Monoprint, 11x14
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