AN INTERVIEW WITH EDUCATOR, ARTIST AND DESIGNER SHERILYN MCELROY
We received an email a couple months back from Sherilyn McElroy that piqued our interest. She shared with us her amazing portfolio of original prints using unique processes. With a passion for design and the Prairie, Sherri's two fantastic print series Prairie Fairies and Prairie Alphabet are something we recommend you explore for your enjoyment. She also shared the fascinating reasons behind why and how she does what she does.
Bryan: Can you talk about how you were inspired to create your two Prairie series of prints, Prairie Fairies and Prairie Alphabet?
Sherri: My interest in prairies began in 1999 during an artist residency at the Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest, Illinois. I was assigned a studio located in the middle of a rare acreage of original Illinois prairie. As I worked on art pieces I experienced the close-up views of a plethora of grasses and forbs, and the wildlife drawn to the prairie. I was hooked on the magic of this incredible ecosystem.
After leaving Ragdale I researched the possibility of planting a 10,000 square foot plot of indigenous prairie plants in my yard. With the help of a Midwestern company a seed mix of forbs and grasses was selected. In the Spring of 2001 the seeds were broadcast seeded into newly plowed soil, and the process began. Each Spring after a late Winter burn, I’m in awe that the renewal begins all over, producing a distinct and varied landscape every year.
Becoming a steward of this prairie is what inspired the artwork behind the Prairie Fairies Series, Life Cycle Series, and the Prairie Alphabet. While prairies are often viewed from a distance, the act of tending the plants brings an appreciation for the simplicity of form in each species. I see the natural curvature of a stalk, the fragile seeds of a milkweed pod, or the feathery petals of a flower, and try to respect the natural forms of the plant.
Bryan: What would you say sets you apart from what other artists are doing?
Sherri: My work does not fit into a distinct studio area such as printmaking, drawing, photography or design, but combines elements from these media in digital form. However, my work is different from many digital artists’ work. Rather than computer generated imagery, I’m drawn to the aesthetics of traditional media—the irregularities of an ink wash or marks drawn by hand. These techniques combined with understated botanical forms are what characterize my work. For example, a floral stalk, pared down to its simplest form is more intriguing to me than a vase full of flowers. My work always begins with a found object—in this series, the stalks of plants in the Fall after the blossoms have dropped. Rather than alter the form I attempt to present the image in a way that isolates the line, shapes, and contrast of the plant.
Bryan: How do you go about the actual process of creating one of your wonderful prints?
Sherri: The process of making these prints begins with a collection of imagery: drawings, watercolor washes, and photography. I create textures by hand, makes brush drawings, photograph flora and fauna from the tallgrass prairie, and then digitize these images. All of these images are built as multi-layered files in Photoshop.
The work is printed as a giclée print, the highest quality digital print available. This sophisticated process for making fine-art original prints offers remarkable detail with a rich depth of color. By using archival paper (acid free and neutral pH) and high quality inks the prints test results show a light-fastness rating of over 100 years. The result is a vibrant, densely printed work.
Bryan: What are your future plans for other artistic series?
Sherri: I’m currently working on another series of prints inspired by recent travels to Japan. Although the Japanese garden is very controlled, in contrast with the prairie garden, I hope to find inspiration in the juxtaposition of textures and forms seen in Japanese plantings. These pieces may be viewed here.
At the same time, I’m also reworking pieces in the Prairie Fairies and Life Cycle Series to reflect cyclical color changes. As a designer and artist I understand the power of color in an individual’s selection of art. (This notion goes against a favorite saying, “It’s not art if it matches your sofa.”) However, I hope to accommodate the need for harmony in the interior designer or architect’s designs. The digital format of my work allows for experimentation as well as customization. pm
::Explore more of Sherri's work
Images copyright Sherilyn McElroy
Bryan Kelly is a co-founder and contributor to PrairieMod. He lives in a super cool 1970's ranch in West Suburban Chicago. You can email him at bryan@prairiemod.com
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