School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibition 2021

Elizabeth (Betsy) Markowski
Graduated 1988

My mixed media work is described as narrative. Through its creation, I tell visual stories or create images that allow viewers to create their own stories. Metals, textiles, paper, wood, glass, stones, and found and acquired objects are some of the materials included in my designs. I combine these materials to create a rich variety of colors, textures, lines, and surfaces. My images are drawn from many sources including history, literature, including children’s literature, and nature. I work on a small scale using such metal techniques as fabrication, casting, forming, forging, die forming, photo-etching, and the weaving of wire. Many pieces incorporate hinges, springs, and locking mechanisms that allow the pieces to be opened and closed or to be manipulated in other ways. I want pieces to have a one-of-a-kind presence, yet I want the viewer to identify with each piece. Therefore, these narrative designs have recognizable images and frequently exhibit humor or other emotions

THE EDIFICE, Mixed metals and wood, 12″ x 9″ x 7″, 2021