PAULA BORSETTI

ARTIST BIO

Paula Borsetti creates abstracted narrative paintings. Working primarily in acrylic, she borrows colors, patterns, textures, forms and movement to create layered paintings meant to evoke personal yet universal moments.. She is interested in the act of painting, how movement and materials, thoughts and feelings weave in and out and the dance between them all. Paula’s Coastal series is influenced by the natural environment of New England where she currently lives. Many mornings find her watching the sunrise and tide pools at the beach or in her kayak on the lake. She soaks in colors, sounds,textures, patterns, shapes and forms that she rearranges in her studio to recreate the essence of that moment. These works are an amalgamation of many moments in time stitched together to create something new. Her PALS series is her largest. This ongoing body of work is inspired by the battle her friend's son recently lost against ALS. Diagnosed at 25 he fought valiantly for 9 ½ years. Creating this series is a way for the artist to process witnessing first hand what this disease does to people, those who are living with it as well as their family, friends and community. For this series she states “I am a lover of words. I am currently using words describing Bobby’s experience with ALS as layers submerged in the paintings. I am rolling these thoughts and words around in paint and letting them lead the way to paintings that resonate with a sense of strength, hope, perseverance, awareness, support and life.” Paula will continue to use her art to advocate for awareness and a cure for ALS,. Paula’s work is exhibited locally, virtually and is in several private collections. You can find her work at the Salted Cod Arthouse in Rocky Neck & the North Shore Arts Association.

ARTIST STATEMENT

For as long as I can remember I have been creating, my hands busy at work. To create is like breathing. In and out, a part of you that you can harness to ground, to elevate, to soothe, to heal. And like breathing, to not do it is not an option. You take it with you no matter where you go. To work, to play, to sleep, to every aspect of your life. Shape it and form it to suit your needs, to challenge, to learn. Share it with others, or keep it close, quiet, loud, shallow, and deep. I go to the sunrise, to the same beach, in the town I have always lived in. Tides come in, then out, leaving behind a different trace.The same place, yet never the same. That is my act of painting. I come to the studio, put out paint, begin the process, start the ebb and flow. At the end of the day, the tide has receded and nothing is the same. Each mark, color and stroke is a new discovery. Working with acrylic paint allows me to layer traces of what is becoming. Charcoal, graphite, crayon, stencils all lend themselves to the story. A mark, a response, a color, a response, a movement, a response, a sound, a response, a feeling, a response, a pain, a response, a smell, a response. Wild crazy marks, frenetic energy slashes followed by a slow mark tracing a path. I am the tortoise and the hare dancing together all at once. I paint because it brings me joy and like breathing sustains my life. I paint to understand myself and the world around me. I paint to bring me closer to who I am and who I am meant to be. I paint to heal.


www.paulaborsetti.com
IG: @locusstreetstudios