Drew Shiflett: Constructed Drawings

In the gallery’s first Drew Shiflett exhibition, two large-scale abstract works on, and literally of, paper appear to float in front of the wall surface, inviting viewers to enter the mesmerizing experience of their making. These and smaller framed mixed media drawings conjure geological strata, ancient textiles and structures ranging from early cave dwellings, to Roman aqueducts and even late 19th century urban facades such as those surrounding the artist’s Soho studio.

The tactile presence of Shiflett’s constructed drawings emerges from an intuitive and cumulative process that incorporates delicate repetitive mark making on collaged and woven fragments of handmade papers. In tandem with her patient approach to developing the rich drawing surface with layers of translucent papers that form the armature of her works, Shiflett’s fluid linear elements also evolve slowly. In a sculptural drawing that measures six feet wide each vertical stroke of watercolor, ink or conte crayon might seem to record the passage of time. In other works, fluid horizontal lines and their perpendicular, crosshatched counterparts are concentrated in such close proximity as to suggest a tightly woven tapestry. It is only upon close inspection that the viewer discovers there is no literal stitching here.

The neutral earthy palette of the artist’s drawing materials, paired with the luminosity of her favored papers provides her work with an atmospheric depth that is often boundless. While undeniably considered in their making, Shiflett’s meditative practice imbues her untitled works with an expansive quality, as she achieves physical manifestations for both personal and universal memories.

See below for full press release and selected works.