Roberley Bell
ARTIST STATEMENT
My sculptures are a conglomeration of contrasting elements that straddle the space between representation and abstraction. Dominant features of color, form, and material push against one another, allowing disparate materials to come together as hybridized forms.
Inspired by and referential to the natural world, my work blurs the line between nature and my own reimaginings of it. I craft these pieces using a wide variety of media—including clay, plaster, and wood—to explore the inherent properties and unexpected potential of combined materials. There is a palpable spontaneity inherent in these works.
Some Things
"Some Things," an ongoing series of small sculptures. Initially conceived as preparation for larger projects, these works have evolved into a distinct and independent practice.
These subtle works are an extension of the themes explored in my larger body of work, but on a different scale, both visually and physically. The some things are crafted using a wide variety of media including clay, plaster, and wood. Most often painted white, the uniform paint serves to both unify the discrete materials into a single form as well as disguise them. I add a bright accent of color — a burst of neon orange, or bright green paint that boldly announces itself from the white of the sculpture's body. The works are presented on wall-mounted shelves, where the shelf color echoes the sculpture itself.
Floor Work
The seven floor pieces represent an evolution of my ongoing stacked floor works, with a primary emphasis on color as form. In this series, vertically oriented pieces are situated on specific tabletop bases, where the application of color serves to extend the spatial awareness of the floating forms.
Thoughtfully constructed and balanced, these delicate amalgams of mixed media relate directly to "Some Things," through their physicality, use of color, and relatively intimate scale. The stacked format references the human form while drawing upon diverse visual influences, including the work of Isamu Noguchi and Constantin Brancusi, as well as the iconic American skyscraper.
BIO
Roberley Bell is inspired by nature and time. Her practice draws on the world around her, particularly through the scrutiny of nature and the built environment. Bell has had numerous residencies, including the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, the Stadt Künstlerhaus in Salzburg, the International Studio Program in NYC, Sculpture Space in Utica, and most recently at the Ellis Beauregard Foundation.
Bell’s work has been exhibited and reviewed internationally, including exhibitions in New York, Chicago, Boston, Malmö, Istanbul, and Toronto. She has completed public projects in Istanbul, Kaliningrad, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cambridge, Cleveland, and Fitchburg. Additionally, she has participated in several art fairs, including Spring/Break, Art Miami, Scope New York, and Contemporary Istanbul.
Bell is the recipient of numerous fellowships, including awards from the New England Foundation for the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, a Pollock-Krasner Fellowship, and a Senior Scholar Fulbright to Turkey. As a Fulbright Specialist, Bell has conducted walking workshops internationally in locations such as Sharjah, Istanbul, and Malmö.
Bell currently lives in Western Massachusetts and maintains a studio in the historic canal city of Holyoke.
