Michelle Stitzlein
Encyclopedia
Michelle Stitzlein is an American
artist
who creates found object
art / sculpture
from recycled materials. She received a BFA in 1989 from the Columbus College of Art and Design
(in Columbus, Ohio
). She and her husband Nathaniel Stitzlein (also an artist) founded Art Grange Studios in Baltimore, Ohio
. At Art Grange they share their love of art with the public by offering tours of the studios as well as art workshops for all ages.
Kurt Shaw writes, "If, as the Jungian psychoanalyst and poet Clarissa Pinkola Estes
would have us believe, butterflies are "Soul Birds," then Stitzlein sets the mind free to wonder not what junk is, but what it can be. "
into larger objects of great beauty, Stitzlein's series of more than 14 wall hung sculptures moths range in size from 3 to 11 feet.
She began working on this series in 2003, inspired by "myriad varieties of beautiful, exotic moths in my own backyard."
These pieces are cobbled together in the most pristine way from old piano keys, tin cans, license plates and bicycle tires, among other things.
She has also written a book outlining projects for children, families, schools and non-profits utilizing recycled, plastic bottle caps.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who creates found object
Found object
A found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already. Found objects may exist either as utilitarian, manufactured items, or things which occur in nature...
art / sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
from recycled materials. She received a BFA in 1989 from the Columbus College of Art and Design
Columbus College of Art and Design
Columbus College of Art & Design is a private college of art and design located in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Originally founded in 1879 as The Columbus Art School, CCAD is one of the oldest operating art schools in the United States...
(in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
). She and her husband Nathaniel Stitzlein (also an artist) founded Art Grange Studios in Baltimore, Ohio
Baltimore, Ohio
Baltimore is a village in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,881 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Baltimore is located at ....
. At Art Grange they share their love of art with the public by offering tours of the studios as well as art workshops for all ages.
Elevating the Unimpressive
Stitzlein's assemblages of mostly discarded materials propels the viewer to reassess that which is often overlooked. "As an artist and as a person, I ask myself to look closer, lest I miss the one exquisite trait in something oftentimes regarded as distasteful, old, tired, unimpressive or just plain ugly so that I may see it again with fresh eyes."Kurt Shaw writes, "If, as the Jungian psychoanalyst and poet Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Clarissa Pinkola Estés is an American poet, post-trauma specialist and Jungian psychoanalyst.-Biography:Similar to William Carlos Williams and other poets who also worked in the health or other professions in tandem, Estés is a poet who uses her poems throughout her psychoanalytic books,...
would have us believe, butterflies are "Soul Birds," then Stitzlein sets the mind free to wonder not what junk is, but what it can be. "
Moth series
Combining an artistic boldness with the premise that recycled materials have the capacity to metamorphoseMétamorphose
"Métamorphose" - a song by French singer Amanda Lear released in 1989 by Carrere Records.- Song information :"Métamorphose" was the first single from Amanda's French-Italian album Tant qu'il y aura des hommes. The album was actually a re-release of Uomini più uomini, and consisted mostly of down-...
into larger objects of great beauty, Stitzlein's series of more than 14 wall hung sculptures moths range in size from 3 to 11 feet.
She began working on this series in 2003, inspired by "myriad varieties of beautiful, exotic moths in my own backyard."
These pieces are cobbled together in the most pristine way from old piano keys, tin cans, license plates and bicycle tires, among other things.
Bottle cap art
Michelle Stitzlein offers workshops, demonstrations and lectures about creating sculpture from plastic bottle caps and other recycled materials. Each event is catered specifically to the needs of the venue and occasion.She has also written a book outlining projects for children, families, schools and non-profits utilizing recycled, plastic bottle caps.