Isabella Barbuzza, host

Judith Mullen, artist

Wandering, the deliberate moving off a set course, is about non-conforming, staying open to a new way of facing everyday challenges.  Unlike Richard Long who poetically recreates the quiet poetry of his daily walks, my explorations begin on foot wandering alone in the forest preserve which often can be an unsettling experience.  Having to adjust, move off a chosen path and find a new direction home is a process that helps facilitate making.  It is the getting lost and at some point finding my way back that new possibilities occur and the transformation of ideas emerge.

The resilience of the tree informs my life and helps direct object making in the studio.  Found tree bark, stumps, branches, cardboard and glue is woven into Styrofoam, paint, steel, wire and plaster in the assemblage of nest-like sculptures and installations.  The large and small objects and shapes collide, fall apart and connect much like our everyday experiences and relationships.

Interweaving elements of the natural world with the man-made ones helps me speak to a balance between strength and fragility.  The abstract and representational objects invoke modern, urban life balanced with the unpredictable solitude of the natural world.  It is my hope that the audience will wander through and around my work to reflect how they themselves navigate their daily lives.