MFA thesis series
Wendell Berry begins his essay “Style and Grace” by saying:
Works of art participate in our lives; we are not just distant observers of their lives. They are in conversation among themselves and with us. This is a part of the description of human life; we do the way we do partly because of things that have been said to us by works of art, and because of things that we have said in reply.
As an individual intentionally seeking community, I strive to make art that initiates conversation – a personal, honest conversation about the human experience. Using my graphic sensibilities, I draw in a calligraphic way, evoking a delicate simplicity. My lines capture moments of discovery and decision as I juxtapose the sensible with the absurd, the real with artificial, the tender with the awkward, the innocent with the experienced. Ultimately, the incongruous is both humorous and very serious.
Works of art participate in our lives; we are not just distant observers of their lives. They are in conversation among themselves and with us. This is a part of the description of human life; we do the way we do partly because of things that have been said to us by works of art, and because of things that we have said in reply.
As an individual intentionally seeking community, I strive to make art that initiates conversation – a personal, honest conversation about the human experience. Using my graphic sensibilities, I draw in a calligraphic way, evoking a delicate simplicity. My lines capture moments of discovery and decision as I juxtapose the sensible with the absurd, the real with artificial, the tender with the awkward, the innocent with the experienced. Ultimately, the incongruous is both humorous and very serious.
© 2025 Matt Drissell. All Rights Reserved.
