As a multidisciplinary artist, I explore themes such as identity, motherhood and psychological states of being. Self-reflection can promote transformation. Imagination is the catalyst for this exploration. Using the figure as the subject, I can express how my psychological makeup impacts the self, familial relationships and environments. As an artist and mother, I create works which express emotional states that challenge and define our identities.
Through fiber works and oil paintings I examine ideas of transformation, self growth and emotional states. Through my work I hope to evoke an emotional response in the viewer that encourages them to reflect on their own experiences and find points of connection to a broader sense of being. My goal as an artist is to create art that questions our understanding of the self and how our personal experiences translate over to a universal shared experience.
The masks are physical manifestations of feelings brought on by my experiences. The inherent dichotomy that exists in a mask, allows for the wearer to hide and expose parts of themselves simultaneously. Using rug tufting to make the masks, I subvert the domestic qualities of that medium. As a woman and mother my identity changes and my art aims to record this psychological and emotional journey.
Margaux McAllister received her MFA from San Francisco Art Institute in 2010 and her BFA from Moore College of Art and Design in 2004. She is currently living and working in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.