My artwork is autobiographical.  My purpose is to produce a visual record of myself or my life experiences, by using objects that normally would be thrown away.

I work in a mixed media format because it allows me to add mementos, phrases and discarded objects from my life.  I feel that I am salvaging these items and giving them a new existence.  I think that certain objects can be valued, and so I’ve always kept little mementos that have any sort of significance for me.

When I was a child, I always kept anything interesting that I would find around our farm in rural eastern Iowa.   I would take those objects and either attach them to my bedroom wall or keep them on a shelf in my room.  A few years ago I realized that I could take these mementos and include them in my art.  This started when I started working with monoprinting, where I would collage materials onto a Plexiglas plate and then create a print from that.  I then started to collage objects onto the actual surface of the artwork.  Presently I am creating sculptures by submerging objects in wax or soap.  I feel that by reviving this “junk” I am able to give the objects new life and create new meaning for the viewer.

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recent past events

April - May 2008: Part of a two artist show at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois

April 2007: Part of group exhibition at Venus Envy in Davenport, Iowa

March 2007: Solo art exhibition at the Ohnward Fine Arts Center in Maquoketa, Iowa

April 2006: Solo Senior Art Exhibition at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa

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If you would like to get e-mail updates about my upcoming shows, please e-mail me at Brenda.Ernzen@yahoo.com to join my mailing list.