"Extravaganza"

51H" x 17W”

Acrylic, Paper, Nails, Resin, & Custom Neon on Texas Pecan Mounted on Custom Acrylic Cleats

2022

"Extravaganza" explores the relationship between natural history and contemporary form. Working on Texas pecan, I built into the wood rather than covering it, allowing the edges, grain, and irregularities to remain present.

Layers of paint, paper, nails, and sculptural elements move through the surface like an internal landscape, referencing tree rings, time, and the quiet accumulation of experience. The paper sculpture is a nod to the mushrooms of the forest, organic forms that emerge, recede, and mark cycles of growth and decay.

Resin seals and unifies these layers, creating depth and a sense of permanence while holding the contrast between raw material and refined finish.

The composition draws the eye inward, shifting as you move around it.

Custom dimmable neon lighting is mounted on the back of the piece, casting a subtle glow that activates the surface and the space around it.

Mounted on a two inch polished acrylic cleat, the piece floats from the wall, allowing light and shadow to become part of the work.

This piece continues my exploration of transformation, where material, memory, and contemporary form come together.

Christi Meril