Christy Bush

Artist Statement

My work, as in my life, tends to focus on personal relationships and experiences. Grief, loss, transition, and transformation are common themes in my practice, and materials play an important part in their expression. My artistic process usually begins with the application of paint or dye on fabric or paper, followed by layering more fabric, stitch, and line until a composition emerges. I value texture over color and am inspired by materials that yield to touch and are easily manipulated.

Figure is another important element of my work. Even when I am deep in process with no clear compositional direction, figure-like shapes emerge and inspire me to dig deeper into my psyche to find the unconscious thought that made me move the materials into these figure formations. My identities as mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend inform what I see in the lines and shapes that I’ve applied somewhat haphazardly, which then directs my next move and the next one until the expression feels complete.