Valerie J Christell

ARTIST STATEMENT/BIO/SERVICE TO WVA

Through photomontage, I create metaphorical statements about the nature of being and “place” and humankind’s symbiotic relationship with nature and their mutual impact on each other. “We are a part of, not apart from, the rest of nature.” Anil Seth. My art involves collaging images of human figures, intertwining them with textures found in the natural world. I either photograph or draw the human figure in poses that express an emotion and energy that connect to forms I find in nature that inspire me. I deconstruct then reconstruct these images in an intuitive manner in Photoshop, focusing on reflecting their inherent energy.

I’m particularly intrigued by how the structure of the brain’s neural nets and the body’s circulatory system are reflected in nature’s structures, textures, and inner systems and how both exude and respond to energy in the world. Several trips to see Body Worlds in Chicago and Milwaukee further inspired this aspect of my work.

My life has been about exploring creativity and creative problem solving through creating and exhibiting my artwork nationally and internationally, including having works held in various collections, and teaching art and art history as adjunct professor over 20 years. I’ve advocated for the arts through my gallerist work in my own and other galleries, as well as through my ongoing curatorial work with an international organization’s vast art collection that includes lauded examples of early 20th century copies of the Masters. Learning about art and artists during my university studies in New York City that involved visiting artists’ studios and art museums solidified my interest in exploring artists’ connections to their cultures and environments impacted the courses I’ve taught. And my travels to Eastern and Western Europe continue to further enrich my research on the relationship between art and culture.

SERVICE TO WVA/LIFETIME MEMBER
Held the following WVA Board positions: Past President, President, Vice President, Exhibition Chair., Membership Chair., and Installation Director. And I continue to work on the Membership Committee.

While on the WVA Board, I maintained the connection between WVA and the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) in the position of Art Advocate/Liaison and later as a member of MAM’s Artist Advisory Board. Paralleling that, as President, I began writing a “President’s Report” in our newsletter that focused on the state of the arts in the community and WVA’s connections to it. And in collaboration with then Vice President Gary Gresl, we formed WVA’s Endowment Fund aimed to build support of the organization beyond membership dues.

While a member of the committee led by Virgi Driscoll tasked to gather information to expand WVA’s outreach, I drafted survey questions for committee review following our conversations, input the final questions into Survey Monkey, oversaw that process, then reported my summarized findings to the committee.

For over 10 years as Alfons Gallery’s Director and Curator, I created/presented themed WVA invitational exhibitions, and curated group exhibitions and one-person exhibits of select WVA member artists’ works. For these shows, I also laid out the artwork and oversaw its installation so that it effectively presented the artists’ images. At the opening receptions, I led artist talks by asking questions to stimulate engaging discussions, and I implemented separate artist talks and workshops with students from local colleges and elementary schools. Similarly, as WVA’s Installation Director, I laid out the artwork and led the installation of exhibitions at various Milwaukee area venues.