Harrison Public Library Presents \”Botanical Anatomy\” by Monique Ford

About the Artist:

Monique Ford was born in Park Slope, Brooklyn in 1981. She grew up in Katonah, NY and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Plattsburgh State University, where she studied painting, drawing, photography and women’s studies. Continuing her studies in fine arts, she attended Pratt Institute where she received her Masters of Fine Arts in painting. She has had 9 solo exhibits and been in over 50 group shows and has shown throughout the USA and Greece in galleries such as Ceres Gallery, The Painting Center, Ward Pound Ridge, The Katonah Museum of Art, Art Basel, Ridgefield Artist Guild, Nurture Art, Providence Arts Club, Silvermine Artist Guild, Blueseed Gallery and the Copelouzos Family Art Museum. Monique has won several awards related to her professional career as a painter; these include Best in Show at the Annual Bedford Art Show, Best in Show at the 57th Artists of the Northeast, Teaching Assistantship Award, Pratt In Tuscany Program, The Revington Arthur Award for Painting, Tony Papa Memorial Award, Nina Winkel Scholarship Award. Most recently, Monique’s work has been added to the permanent collection at the Copelouzos Family Art Museum. Monique currently lives and works in Mount Kisco, NY.

Artist’s Statement:

My Botanical Anatomy series began after a major personal transition which created tremendous growth and change. My artistic process became a new experience. I started to envision new forms. It was liberating and natural as the imagery came pouring out of me. In the beginning of this series my sketches and works on paper had many anatomical forms that played a key role in representing the human presence and slowly the botanical forms became the human experience. The paintings are about relationships, the tension between them, the power, pain, joy and impermanence of how we connect and move through one another. Color, line, form and composition are all devices that enrich and build on the narrative within the floral imagery. The most recent works are direct reflections of the time we are living in. As the pandemic hit record highs over the last eighteen months the dialogue of the work became more about isolation and how our relationships have impacted our daily lives. I seek to create beauty within time and experience.