Reading The Key Essay 17 of 17

Artist’s Reflection

Reading The Key marks a turn in my body of work.

A metalsmith at heart, my tendency is to wear my magnivisor and close in on fine details that most bypass. Yet, I try to keep a distant perspective on the trends in my work, almost with an eye ahead to a retrospective being done later. I believe that this work will get a strong black line on the timeline.

Aside from the personal significance of this work, I recognize that it has come at a time when public school systems are cutting not just the arts but science as well, and my own state government is making drastic cuts to public education in order to balance a budget. It is my hope that our society’s purpose in public education is never lost.

Painting stretches me as only an unpredictable medium can, and metalsmithing is second nature for me. Combining the two to explore a concept of such significance is the entrée I have been craving.

I stand amazed. The sense of spiritual collaboration that I encountered while embarking on this journey is something for which I am humbly grateful. 

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©Ginger Meek Allen