Lauren Elder
Mama’s Hat from the series Shut-In Spring..., 2020

charcoal on paper
44”H x 31”W

ARTWORK STATEMENT:

“Shut In Spring... ” is a work-in-progress resulting in a 30-frame narrative series. Begun in April 2020, it chronicles the (mis)adventures of a spunky young girl as she navigates the world as reorganized by Covid. In this scene, Angela is seated at her mother’s vanity and is trying on her funeral hat - on the sly. In her child’s way, she is trying to sense the feelings of the adults whose lives - and public service calendars - are now suddenly pockmarked by the rapid series of interments. The drawings will be accompanied by a short text and culminate in a graphic novel appropriate for young readers and adults.

Artist Bio:

Lauren Elder is a visual artist who has worked in a wide variety of media during her 50+ years of award-winning professional production. Typically, she creates large-scale environments, but drawing is an essential tool in the planning and a constant source of exploration and pleasure. During the first 25 years of her career she collaborated with performers, creating scenic design for dance, theater, performance art, and media projects. Since 2000, she has shifted her focus to environmental design for a threatened planet.