Contact Info
Jean
Tansey
8452554385
Artist Bio
Jean Tansey presents imagery with a back story. In portraying the human condition in her paintings, she transforms the image on the canvas from a simple figure in space into awareness of inequality, oppression, violence and environmental degradation. Tansey sources her material from political reports found in print and online media. Using the beauty of color and brush stroke, in the tradition of the painterly approach, the viewers’ attention is drawn into the narrative.
Jean has a long and consistent history of participating in regional exhibits and community events. These include outdoor arts festivals, political demonstrations, large-scale installations, including site specific and viewer interactive pieces. Though Tansey has recently returned to her roots of painting on 2 dimensional surfaces, Jean has worked in various media. Examples of this are; large nylon fabric flags on a pedestrian bridge, painted fabric circles used by dancers, installations along rail trails, aluminum cut-outs from 2’-8’ in municipal parks, multi-unit installations in both public parks and on property of non-profits, urban window installations and large wood panel paintings installed outdoors for public viewing. Jean is committed to using art as a platform to present issues and commentary to engage not only the eye, but also the mind, questioning assumptions and creating conversations.
Jean has lived with the backdrop of the Shawangunk Ridge her entire adult life and is grateful for this privilege. While raising two children as a single parent Jean decided, not to go for her masters in fine arts, but rather to follow her parallel passion of working against injustice. This led to a five-and-a-half-year journey to earn a dual masters in social work and sociology with a concentration in women’s issues. Jean has been able to infuse both her work life as a social worker and her artwork with purposeful action. Jean is also an avid fan of music and participates at festivals as a Live Art Painter. jeantansey.com
Resume/Exhibition List/Publications
Themes being addressed
I will present imagery of my making which will fall under these themes; violence, militarism, mothering, energy production and the environment addressing topics in which there are wide gaps between best practice and reality. I propose to do this by utilizing the many small watercolor studies I have created over the years. I will place a “wall” of foam core or luan board painted white across the diagonal of the case and create a collage with my "tiny" watercolor art pieces. I have attached a digital version for reference only, the actual collage will be determined in real time with access to the Tiny ROOST. I will also have a word element of newspaper like headlines. These 4 headlines will be 2” high block letters made of thin wood painted black:
THE VIOLENCE & THE SILENCE THE NEEDY & THE GREEDY
THE VOICELESS &THE CHOICELESS THE SMOKE & THE MIRRORS
I will create a short audio piece of myself providing an “art tour” lecture of the Tiny Roost mimicking the audio tours which a viewer can rent at a large museum.
I will also create a handout which provides respected sources of information directly related to the topics which the tiny artworks source from or refer to.
I will provide an artist talk which will delve deeper into several specific topics which I have explored through my art. This will provide the audience with a wider view of the concerns and the interventions to address the problems. The possibility of a zoom guest speaker(s) will be explored further.
Images supplies are to support the concept they are not actual collages.
Mediums being used
watercolor collage with 2 inch wooden block letters painted black, one piece of foam core or luan board across, probably the diagonal cross of Tiny cube to create wall, collage will be on "floor" and this "wall" inside cube, word elements proposed to be facing out with one of each phrase on each side of cube.
Supporting Activities
Tiny audio tour produced by artist of the tiny gallery imagery and explanation of source and reference, handout with references for more info, or a QR code if that makes more sense, artist's talk with some evolution/origin of my work, at the Gardiner Library going into greater depths about topics, and possible zoom in guest speaker with question and answers
Images of Past Work
Image or Sketch of Current Proposal
