MADELINE RUPARD - SEPTEMBER 2021
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Madeline Rupard. I grew up as an army kid, moving frequently around different parts of the east coast and traveling across long distances. One of my first memories of the world is a glimpse through the backseat window of a car: a pink sunset, power lines, a McDonald’s arches sign. A sense of wonder at the modern world, and transient, lonely observation is probably how my work is best described.
My name is Madeline Rupard. I grew up as an army kid, moving frequently around different parts of the east coast and traveling across long distances. One of my first memories of the world is a glimpse through the backseat window of a car: a pink sunset, power lines, a McDonald’s arches sign. A sense of wonder at the modern world, and transient, lonely observation is probably how my work is best described.
Where are you and what are you currently working on?
I currently live in Provo, Utah. I am teaching at a charter school in the small town of Springville, Utah and at Brigham Young University. My current work is about aquariums, gas stations, parking lots, and other uniquely modern visual phenomenons. My most recent body of work is about the overwhelming sensory effect of the American landscape: the suburban in conjunction with the sublime, the mysterious in the mundane, and the ancient and man-made running up against each other.
I currently live in Provo, Utah. I am teaching at a charter school in the small town of Springville, Utah and at Brigham Young University. My current work is about aquariums, gas stations, parking lots, and other uniquely modern visual phenomenons. My most recent body of work is about the overwhelming sensory effect of the American landscape: the suburban in conjunction with the sublime, the mysterious in the mundane, and the ancient and man-made running up against each other.
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What’s your studio routine like? Any zany habits?
I get a lot of psychological satisfaction from scraping the paint off of my glass palettes before I start. I’m also big on salty snacks.
I get a lot of psychological satisfaction from scraping the paint off of my glass palettes before I start. I’m also big on salty snacks.
What are your favorite materials to work with?
I love vibrant, painterly marks that express viscosity. I think this came from looking at Carrie Moyer and William de Kooning paintings for too long. For this reason I really have a hard time painting on anything flimsier than a well sanded, gessoed panel. This last year has been a new exploration in urethane and resin; the aqueous look of these materials really makes my brain buzz and has opened my eyes to the possibility of translucency as an added element of depth to a 2d painting.
I love vibrant, painterly marks that express viscosity. I think this came from looking at Carrie Moyer and William de Kooning paintings for too long. For this reason I really have a hard time painting on anything flimsier than a well sanded, gessoed panel. This last year has been a new exploration in urethane and resin; the aqueous look of these materials really makes my brain buzz and has opened my eyes to the possibility of translucency as an added element of depth to a 2d painting.
How has your work changed over the years?
By the same token above, material and intentionality in mark making has been huge, even if observation and memory has stayed a constant theme. I used to stubbornly paint in muddy oils on canvas without really evaluating why I was doing it. I am much more mindful of the nuances of finding the right medium for your message. Right now, acrylic is doing that for me.
By the same token above, material and intentionality in mark making has been huge, even if observation and memory has stayed a constant theme. I used to stubbornly paint in muddy oils on canvas without really evaluating why I was doing it. I am much more mindful of the nuances of finding the right medium for your message. Right now, acrylic is doing that for me.
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Who else do you recommend we look at / read / listen to / cook with?
Here are just a few artists I feel very spiritually and aesthetically moved by: The beauty of James Castle’s soot drawings, the colors and textures of Farah Al Qasimi that make me feel a pang of missing New York, the painterly time based paintings of Cynthia Daignault, the romance of the film Chungking Express by Wong Kar Wai. Highly recommend watching Li Ziqi’s Szechuan cooking channel on youtube; it lowers my blood pressure every time I see her chop something colorful up and put it in her homemade clay ovens.
Here are just a few artists I feel very spiritually and aesthetically moved by: The beauty of James Castle’s soot drawings, the colors and textures of Farah Al Qasimi that make me feel a pang of missing New York, the painterly time based paintings of Cynthia Daignault, the romance of the film Chungking Express by Wong Kar Wai. Highly recommend watching Li Ziqi’s Szechuan cooking channel on youtube; it lowers my blood pressure every time I see her chop something colorful up and put it in her homemade clay ovens.
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Any exciting projects on the horizon?
When I’m not in the classroom teaching and making art with students, I am working on a long term book project of paintings alongside an autobiographical essay about memory and time.
When I’m not in the classroom teaching and making art with students, I am working on a long term book project of paintings alongside an autobiographical essay about memory and time.
