Stage Fright by Janet Schill

Vessel/sculpture

Glass enamel, wood, steel, ready made object, copper, resin, glass beads

Sgraffito with watercolor, sprayed enamel and screen printing

7 x 5 x 3 inches

My work brings together drawing, printmaking, metalsmithing, and assemblage disciplines, connected by a shared attention to line, structure and material. In recent years, enameling has become the point of convergence for these practices, allowing me to build imagery through surface treatments, while also working dimensionally through sculpture and enamel tiles.
I work primarily with copper and steel, selecting each metal for its distinct qualities and for what the piece demands. I incorporate mixed media materials such as wood, beads, postcards, readymade objects, and items that help get my point across to the viewer. I often bring drawing and printmaking methods, particularly stenciling and screen printing, into the enameling process to build images in layers and to create a crisp, graphic structure within the fluidity of glass.

My sculptures create a stage for conveying narratives about shared life moments and human experience, using surface, shape, and objects to hold addition and meaning. Often my pieces use a humorous theme to draw the viewer in while carrying a deeper, more personal undercurrents.

I title my works with idiomatic expressions that suggest a humorous tone, intended to entice viewers to explore the piece further, while the artwork also carry a deeper, more personal meaning. Though this might give rise to a smile, it is really a metaphor about life, in all is ups and downs. My work transforms materials and imagery into moments of reflection, offering viewers a renewed way of seeing the world around us.