Today we’d like to introduce you to Dorothea Osborn Osborn
Hi Dorothea Osborn, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It may sound cliche, though I have always been an artist. To my parents frustration, I painted the walls while in the crib. I also recalling a time when I was three after reading a Mother Goose book, attempting to draw the pumpkins and squirrels from and in the book. ( I still have that book). All throughout school, teachers would comment on my work. A third grade teacher, while having at class in the cafeteria, commented something ( I have forgotten what) on a street scene of my friends in my semi rural neighborhood. IN middle school, the teacher commented on my album cover, and in high schoo, this is where I actually became invested in learning about art and consequently applied to colleges to achieve an art degree with no real goal in mind, other than to be an artist. After hitchhiking around Europe and visiting any and all museums I could, I returned to finish my art degree in Buffalo. After graduating with an undergraduate degree, I taught art to make ends meet and to save for Graduate school.being that finances were tight, I attended SUNY New Paltz part time for my MFA (they agreed to allow this) for a long 8 years. Driving 1.5 each ways arduous, though worth it since i was doing what I loved: creating art!
My MFA is in painting and drawing, though I have always been drawn to mixed-media, environmental issues, personal historical narratives, and ecofeminism. I have transitioned between painting, drawing to mixed media fiber sculptures with my two-dimensional work. It has taken a lot of dedication and joyful passion to continue the trajectory of an artist dreams. Those dreams, joys of creating, and sparkling passions continue to this day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road and trajectory to where I m today has been bumpy and riveted with obstacles.
some of the struggles commenced early on before college. The major struggle has been financial. My family is a family of 9 with 7 children. My parents were blue collar people who believed in providing for the family and education was a low priority. since Iwas the first in the family to even conceive of going to college the earning curve was high for me, since I was on my own after 18 years old. l was determined to do this. Being a bit discouraged by family and friends parents, I held tight to those dreams and found economic financial aid and subsequent scholarship to assist in achieving those dreams. Other than that I had to work to help in footing the bills. the time allotted for school was sufficient in that overachieved my goals. I would say passion is the leading attribute in achieving what you want.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Recently, my work consists of a plethora of materials. I continue to be passionate about painting, though over the past few years, I have been incorporating a lot of other mixed media such as fabrics, bones, vintage clothing, objects, detritus, to create three-dimensional painted sculptures. three years ago, I spent three residencies creating 6-10’20’ panels called Rear view mirror. this installation made primarily of silk and other fabrics with paint, was in response to an invitation to participate in Many
Americas museum exhibit. this installation represented the trajectory of my father’s ancestors from the second John Winthope ship (1600’s) to America. I would love to produce another large scale piece in the near future.
I am currently also, in addition to studio work, teaching art at Siena College, which I love! The students and faculty are wonderful caring people and e all have a similar ethos.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think one of the most uprising things about my career in art is that I used to paint and drawing extremely representationally. When I returned from New Mexico while just beginning Graduate courses, my work became an amalgamation of the tension between representational and abstract, which led me to the path I continue to pursue.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dorotheaosborn.com
- Instagram: [email protected]
- Facebook: [email protected]
