Fine Art - NOMINEE: Kathryn Hodgkins

Loves Me, Loves Me Not is a series of ten 16x24” Chromaluxe prints of scanned artificial flowers, some of which were moved as the light passed underneath for a glitching effect. Much of the research for this project focused on the folklore and meanings of flowers. The end result are images with striking glossiness, vibrancy, and beauty that evoke a sense of otherworldliness. With the dark background printed on a highly reflective surface, the image becomes difficult to enter. There is a physical separation between the natural world and the world we seem to be looking at. The surface of the image then functions as a plane: a portal looking into a domain of artificial perfection, full of beautiful colors and textures. With this in mind, the glitched flowers convey a sense of this perfect world touching the plane of the portal; reaching out to our natural world of imperfections.

About author:
Growing up in a small, seaside town in Massachusetts, my imagination was always running. Back then, I dreamed of one day growing up to be a mermaid. However, during high school and beyond, Real Life tended to be more of a downer than when I was younger. At that time, I also discovered the art of photography and camera performance. I could now visually represent the images my mind would create throughout the day for others to see -- on paper and online. To be able to accurately produce a mental image is such an accomplishment for me. I've struggled with the idea that, as humans, it is actually impossible for one person to completely understand another; the fact that I can not verbally or visually describe an idea perfectly to another person. Therefore, when I discovered the camera's ability to appropriate details from Real Life and Photoshop's abilities to distort, I started playing with the ideas of Truth and Artificial. This began by simple color adjustments, to miniaturized people via photo manipulation, to levitations, to digital scans at high resolutions. Honesty and Deceit will always fascinate me in normal day-to-day situations, but I get to truly express my love, discomfort, and frustration with them through my artwork.