Madison Spitzer

Artist Statement

Clothes worn on the body. Coverings for furniture or windows. Decor to fill homes. Everyone has a personal connection with textiles. Although the way I use them is unexpected, I strive to draw viewers closer to my work with the sense of normalcy received from a warm blanket, a fond memory, or a sensory experience. Touch is often forbidden in the world of fine art, but touch is integral to the creation of my work, and thus encouraged for the full experience of my viewers. Ten years ago, I never related things like texture or dimensionality to my artistic experience. As the world becomes increasingly digital, materiality and touch become increasingly important to me. Textiles are created to be interacted with, soiled, washed, used. At the same time, they are used as a form of expression. Calico is my preferred fabric because it demands attention. Thoughtful, bold, and sometimes random prints distinguish this textile from other common cottons. I take inspiration from this disruption of normalcy, and try to create control alongside chaos in this material of comfort.