Kristina Martello: Hey Pumpkin

ARTIST STATEMENT

My work expresses my personal connection with pumpkins. I love the fall season and everything pumpkin flavored. My mom has always called me her little pumpkin. Everyday I come home from work or school my mom greets me by saying ‘hey pumpkin’. ‘Hey Pumpkin’ has grown and developed over the years of her greeting me, but during this time and similar to the evolution of things in the natural world, I have experienced growth and development within myself. The image of the pumpkins is a metaphor for this personal evolution.

I have drawn inspiration from many different artists but the main inspiration for my work has been from the graphic designer and art instructor, Emmett McBain. He inspired the ideas with which I work and how to format the layout of a canvas. The way McBain utilizes space and unifies his work are what attracted me to his work. The 1960s style of his album covers have unique colors, designs, shapes, fonts, and so much more.

Although McBain was a graphic designer, and I am not, I make use of McBain’s techniques in my own work. Mixed media is something I have been doing since high school and love to use different material within each project. I was able to use acrylic paint, yarn, modeling paste, watercolor paint, micron pens, markers, and digital art. All of these materials were used, though not consistently throughout all the work. The unfolding of each piece determines what medium I choose to use. It is dependent on what the work seems to require.

Overall, I see my work as a way to bring connections from oneself, into a man-made world and create new and inspiring pieces. My goal as an artist is to have fun with my artwork I am making, but to also show my journey to others through the art. Displaying artwork for others to view is a form of enjoyment that I am able to provide, but to also inspire them.