Nature and Resilience
The ultimate source of the work of Annie Perkins-Rosenberg, Portland, Oregon-based mixed media artist, is a deep respect and appreciation for nature’s magic. However, within each of Perkins-Rosenberg’s delicately etched and organized compositions, is a clear sense of resilience. A user of a variety of tools and materials, ranging from pen and ink to sculpture and video, as an artist Perkins-Rosenberg is as adaptive and bold as the resulting work itself and the strong organic subjects it represents. However it’s Perkins-Rosenberg’s embedding of empathy, healing, and past personal experiences which fortify the underlying resilience of the artist’s creations. Annie Perkins-Rosenberg’s work is no doubt rooted in the mysteries of the natural world, but it’s the artist’s sincerity and authenticity which give each piece its power.
Part One: Who is Annie Perkins-Rosenberg?
Question One: Who are you?
“I was born in a small steel town in Eastern Pennsylvania and then moved to South Philadelphia. After living there I loved to San Diego, California where I was for almost a decade and then relocated to San Francisco. I lived briefly in Seattle and now reside outside Portland Oregon.
I like to think I am a collaboration of all these places but Philly is my heart. There is no place like it. It is home.
I relate better and best to children and animals and have a hard time with adults and being an adult myself.
I’m often lost in my head and art grounds me here in this physical place.
When I’m not drawing, I run a website for free meditations for mental health and chronic illness.”
Question Two: Who are you as an artist?
“I am an artist since birth. I feel the need to create like I feel the need for air and nourishment. This creating comes in many forms. I create video, pen and ink and sculpture pieces most, but I am also a writer. My work is inspired by a chronic lifetime illness that has tainted but brightened my view of the world. I let the trauma, pain and wakening state from my experience glow through my artwork. It’s my way to show my ailments and joy.“
Question Three: What kind of journey are you on?
“A healing journey. I had a lot of trauma in my childhood that I kept buried deep inside. This was the perfect environment for my disease to reside. The more I heal that part of me and return to who I truly am, the more I also physically heal. We are all energetic beings and I think the path to health, wealth and happiness is accessible to all. And deserved by all.”
Question Four: What is in your artwork that we cannot see?
“Sometimes I put pieces of my hair and Reiki into my pieces. So much of me flows into them and they are often based off dreams and visions.”
Question Five: What is something strange or interesting you keep in the studio/workspace?
“My house is strange. I have jars of dead things I find when in the woods or traveling. Birds, feathers, bones etc. I also surround myself by work from friends as I have a small but very important to me group of them. I always keep a picture of my beat friend Tamara nearby, as she is my muse and whole world next to my husband. I usually have a dog bed right next to me too for my dogs.”
Question Six: What is something art has taught you?
“To sit still! I am someone who goes from morning to evening, despite my physical limitations. I deal with a high level of pain and mobility issues which cause me some days to sit down and forces me to draw and use that energy towards my work. It’s truly a very odd relationship.”
Part Two: Visions
What is your artistic practice?
“My work is channeled from visions or dreams. It’s more of impulse at times where until it flows out of me, and properly at that, I can’t get the thought out of my mind.”
8×10 Original pen and black and white ink on recycled brown paper.
A fire and clouds.
Symbols of what we truly think and what we’re told to think.
From the moment of birth we are often taken by the hand and gently lead off our true path.
We always have the option to walk back.
Home is always waiting.
8 x 10 original pen and black and white ink on recycled brown paper
A sun, a moon and Horehound representing mental clarity, dispelling illusion, quick action and healing.
8×10 original pen, black and white ink on brown paper
Elderberry representing hidden wisdom, magic and ridding.
Ravens represent many things and are strong messengers throughout the world and time.
In Greek mythology, ravens are associated with Apollo, the god of prophecy and associated with light and wisdom.
In Africa they are seen as a guides.
In Chinese and Japanese cultures ravens are a messenger for the gods and represent the sun.
In Norse mythology ravens symbolize the mind and intelligence.
8×10 original pen, black and white ink on brown paper
Double headed snake representing the two sides to self and dark rotten fruit representing how seeking perfection can possibly make things rotten.
8×10 Unframed original art
Pen, and black and white ink
Where/ How can Vacant Museum viewers see more of your work and where can they purchase it?
I have a Big Cartel Shop linked on my page. I also show at galleries and have exhibitions yearly all on my website at http://www.blackhausart.com or Instagram @blackhausartshop