Artist: JoAnna Darda
Project Title: Sky, Stream
Location: High Street & Wysor at the south end of High Street Bridge
Project Statement: When drawing inspiration for this project, my mind immediately turned to the White River. This river and its surrounding trails quite literally connect the community to the beauty of our city, by providing a path through parks, cultural institutions, and natural landmarks. “Sky, Stream” is an abstract, vibrant painting that gently draws reference to Muncie’s natural beauty. The deep, watery layers of brush work and color speak to the depth and movement of the river. The rolling, flowing composition and deep, lush color palette nod to the curves of the river, the colors of the sky fading to night. While the overall composition of this work is dynamically simple, a sense of dimension and depth will be created by strategically layering multiple washes of color and expressive brush strokes. This rolling composition of bold, rich color can be enjoyed at a glance, but the subtle complexities in color and texture invite the viewer to take a longer, closer look. I hope that this work imparts the viewer with the same sense of quiet, meditative joy that comes from a long walk alone in the sunshine.
Artist Bio: I am an interdisciplinary artist living and working in Muncie, Indiana. I work across a variety of media, but all of my work draws on my passion of textiles. Even when I’m not knitting, weaving, sewing, or designing patterns, my work relies on the same vocabulary of textures and mark making. By layering colors, textures, and tiny, complex marks to construct larger compositions in my drawings and paintings, I reference the flowing, minute stitches that make up a piece of knitting, or the intricate threads and weave structures that create a length of fabric. My drawings and paintings are intended to evoke the same sense of meditative, quiet warmth that I feel gain from slowly, stitch by stitch, creating cloth that will eventually keep me warm in the winter.
As a founding member of We’re Trying Collective, I am in awe of impact that our downtown mural, On the Mark, For the City has had in the past year since its creation. Public art is a conversation starter, a backdrop to wedding photos, senior photos, something to make you smile on your commute to work. It is a tangible expression of beauty and investment in the community. It provides meaningful exposure to and enjoyment of art to populations who may not typically occupy art spaces. Like a handmade quilt or a well worn shirt, public art becomes embedded in the fabric of daily life, in the landscape, and that is a true honor for an artist.