Phyllis Chumley Martinez
“Trauma Always Leaves a Mark”
Solo Exhibition
On view January 12-26
Opening Reception January 19 3-5pm
Facebook Event
Phyllis will also be in the gallery Sunday Jan 26th 3-4pm if you would like to stop by and see the show before it comes down.
Shoebox
660 South Avenue 21 #3
LA CA 90031
@shoeboxarts.la
https://www.shoeboxarts.com/
@fyllys
STATEMENT
Trauma always leaves a mark.
Our grandparents’ trauma is encoded in our epigenetics, marking the way our genes are expressed. Childhood trauma embeds itself in our bodies and consciousness, resurfacing as flashbacks and contributing to adult cancer and autoimmune disease. Yet being alive is exhilarating. We heal, grow and change, persevering with humor and resilience.
I’m an older woman. I feel victory in making it this far, and a sense of absurdity in dealing with issues that simply won’t stay resolved. Over the last decade, my work has reflected my legacy of generational class trauma, and my own childhood physical and sexual abuse. I use biological imagery to express my sense of being formed by trauma, and still being compelled to confront the impact of abuse. In 2022, I experienced its sudden resurgence in my own body: breast cancer, my second reproductive cancer. I got off “easy,” with surgery and radiation, but the followup testing has been nearly as unsettling as the diagnosis itself.
My recent work addresses the icky stuff hidden in my cells, and what I imagine the MRIs show. I am drawn to lively, vivid colors and detailed rendering. My ceramic sculptures grew from the biological imagery in my paintings. One of my earliest memories is making things from mud, and it has been extremely satisfying to create these fantastical fungal creatures as allusions to flashbacks. Through the bottles and tureens, I poke fun at the treasonous, bite-back nature of breast cancer.
BIO
Phyllis Chumley Martinez is an artist based in Whittier. She earned a BA in Fine Art from Cleveland State University, with studies at Goddard College, Antioch College, and in Mexico, and worked as an illustrator and teacher. Her art has been included at CABE, Cerritos College, Gallery 825, Arroyo Arts Collective and Shoebox Arts.
To make an appointment to see the show or to inquire about purchasing the artwork please email us at shoeboxartsla@gmail.com
Artwork for Sale
$75 each (2 **SOLD**)
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$200 as a pair **SOLD**
NFS
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$100 Framed
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$125 for one
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$400 Framed
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