Valerie Hunt
Artist Statements
The Global Meltdown Series
The Global Meltdown Series draws attention to threats that impact the earth such as global warming, climate change and climatic disruption, as well as environmental destruction, weather destabilization, and environmental collapse.
Something Your Parents Told You
This body of work is a glimpse into what parents tell their children, which can become emotional baggage.
Some things my parents told me as a child play silently in the back of my head, unrelentingly. Friends and acquaintances are helping me through this predicament by sharing their own memories. I find this fascinating, pairing what was said to “who they are”.
I collect memories from the public (via a physical submittal box, a Facebook page, or in-person) by asking the following: "Tell me a phrase or sentence that your parents told you as a child. List the first thing that comes to mind."
The Facebook Group called “Something Your Parents Told You” is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SomethingYourParentsToldYou Please go to it and look around, and contribute your own memory.
Aging Sucks (but doesn't have to)
Aging Sucks (but doesn’t have to), includes video installation, sculpture, mixed media, painting and performance. The concept initially came from the personal observations and frustrations I have with my body and mind getting older. People I’ve known for years look older now. I am aging like other baby boomers, but deep inside I still act and see myself as being in my 30s.
The aging of the massive Baby Boomer generation born between 1946 and 1964 will have significant implications for the entire country. The oldest baby boomers started turning 65 back in 2011, and many of them have already retired. I am striving to change for the better how older adults see themselves and how others see them.
Regarding the hands as subject matter: These are not studies that quantify how many people say they are a certain age. When asked, most people remark “Oh, I’ve never thought about that before” and take a few minutes to ponder what age they are deep inside.
In addition, the process of asking the question, stamping their hands with their age, and photographing their hand usually puts a smile on their face. They walk around the event proudly displaying their hand and dialoging about it with the other attendees, and posting their stamped hands on social media. I am having fun engaging the public and communicating the idea that age is not a limitation.
I've stamped 1,000 hands and would like the opportunity to stamp many more. I only use a hand once - each artwork has different hands.
In The News Series
Newsworthy subject matter examined through a variety of mediums and platforms.
Torn Series Paintings
The focus of my Torn Series paintings is the experimentation of materials combined with manipulation of design principles and elements. The process of painting with plastic paint (acrylic) captivates me. I experiment to discover new and innovative ways of using acrylic paint, and explore different ways of creating texture, which can extend up to 1/2” off of the surface of the canvas.
Textures are created by the addition of glass beads, crumb rubber, black lava, sand, wood shavings, dried leaves, extra heavy gel mediums, modeling paste, pieces of vinyl, paper, shredded rubber tire, crushed polycarbonate. As for color, the ground is usually a low value key (dark) with intense colors as the figures, with matte playing against glossy surfaces.