Monograph Statement

A monograph is defined as a treatise on a single subject or a group of related subjects.

My use of the monograph ushered in a new level of engagement with the work. An expanded view, that starts with a single painting, expands to a theme based series and then to a group series with an overarching narrative.

The book form makes possible the addition of previously hidden aspects of the creative process. It serves as a container for all the experience: The inner narrative, outer influences, and the final artwork. It becomes the dialogue between art and consciousness, when spirit is invited in, the hidden force that unites us it all.
The small container is also the template for an installation piece, when the contents of the book open to onto the gallery walls.

Joell’s third monograph, Tea Bowl, introduces the reader to the artworks that inspired her to explore the Raku tea bowl as a symbol in her art. I was attracted to the openness of the bowl. The emptiness was full of meaning. I had been restless and my inner self was seeking change. Drawing and painting the empty bowl, over and over, brought relief. What began as a meditation on emptiness slowly shifted. Birds and flowers appeared and hovered above the bowl celebrating this period of calm. Then more ominous images arrived. The tea bowl symbol moved through four stages, each one asking something different of it…causing it to adjust and expand its role. Initially the tea bowl held calm, then grief, then deep concern as the focus shifted from self, to family, then to the world.