Amethyst Strivelli

Amethyst Strivelli comes to the Master’s in Art Therapy and Counseling program at SAIC after getting her bachelor’s in Art Therapy at Mars Hill University in North Carolina. Amethyst does not focus on any one particular medium over another, rather she prefers to experiment with a variety of mediums and techniques. This piece is an example of this mindset.

When conceptualizing this piece, the intention was to create something that would allow for audiences to interact with the artwork. However due to the pandemic, it would be impossible to create a piece that could be touched. The art is set up in such a way that viewers can block the light of the projector. This reflects the theme of “reconstructing care” by highlighting a way in which we have had to reconstruct how we interact with each other during the pandemic.

Artist Statement

The pandemic has reshaped the ways in which people are able to interact. Because of this, we have had to reconstruct the ways that we care for ourselves and others. This piece showcases video vignettes from me engaging in my day to day activities alone that are then projected onto a painted canvas. Viewers are encouraged to walk or stand in front of the projector, demonstrating a safe way to interact with me and my art during a time where physical closeness and touch are not possible.

Video and Image Descriptions: The piece shows a video being projected onto a painted canvas. The canvas has partial outlines of rectangles that form a grid pattern with some spaces left without rectangles. There are also various spots on the canvas that show painted lines in various colors, gray and blue dots, and multi-colored clouds. There are two sections of writing as well. In a rectangle on the left there are the words Exhibition-Photo-8
Video and Image Descriptions: The piece shows a video being projected onto a painted canvas. The canvas has partial outlines of rectangles that form a grid pattern with some spaces left without rectangles. There are also various spots on the canvas that show painted lines in various colors, gray and blue dots, and multi-colored clouds. There are two sections of writing as well. In a rectangle on the left there are the words Exhibition-Photo-6
Video and Image Descriptions: The piece shows a video being projected onto a painted canvas. The canvas has partial outlines of rectangles that form a grid pattern with some spaces left without rectangles. There are also various spots on the canvas that show painted lines in various colors, gray and blue dots, and multi-colored clouds. There are two sections of writing as well. In a rectangle on the left there are the words Exhibition-Photo-4
Video and Image Descriptions: The piece shows a video being projected onto a painted canvas. The canvas has partial outlines of rectangles that form a grid pattern with some spaces left without rectangles. There are also various spots on the canvas that show painted lines in various colors, gray and blue dots, and multi-colored clouds. There are two sections of writing as well. In a rectangle on the left there are the words Exhibition-Photo-3
Video and Image Descriptions: The piece shows a video being projected onto a painted canvas. The canvas has partial outlines of rectangles that form a grid pattern with some spaces left without rectangles. There are also various spots on the canvas that show painted lines in various colors, gray and blue dots, and multi-colored clouds. There are two sections of writing as well. In a rectangle on the left there are the words Exhibition-Photo-2

Video and Image Descriptions: The piece shows a video being projected onto a painted canvas. The canvas has partial outlines of rectangles that form a grid pattern with some spaces left without rectangles. There are also various spots on the canvas that show painted lines in various colors, gray and blue dots, and multi-colored clouds. There are two sections of writing as well. In a rectangle on the left there are the words “It is hard to do things alone; that’s why I wanted to invite you into my artwork with me. I would have liked to interact with you in person so I’m glad that I can at least interact with you like this.” On the middle right of the canvas there is more writing that says “I want to thank you for joining me for this.” The video on the canvas is a loop of clips that show Amethyst driving, sitting on her couch on her laptop, having some tea and a cookie, walking down a snowy street, sitting on her floor painting the canvas, and looking out of a window before entering another room. The images show close ups that show the shadows of head and shoulders on different parts of the canvas throughout the video