I grew up in Indiana and graduated from DePauw University in 2007 with a double major in Art History and Studio Art, also working as a cartoonist for the school newspaper.  I recently received my MA in Art History from the University of Oregon, and I wrote my thesis on Max Ernst’s Histoire Naturelle, situating his semi-automatic technique of frottage within the context of Surrealist automatism.  Now that I have graduated, I plan on applying to MFA programs.

The art presented on this site is a sample of works that I have created in the last 7 years, ranging from my later high school years to the present.  My work is eclectic, and its variety reflects my affinity for disparate mediums and subjects.  While I believe that my work can be subdivided into two categories - representational and non-representational -  these two planes often coincide, and the majority of my art addresses the boundaries between figural coherence and organic abstraction. 

Often, recognizable shapes serve as a type of framework, and I create form and depth through the vegetal layering/ build-up of my semi-automatic mark.  Just as Max Ernst and the Surrealists sought to incorporate objectively guided chance into their works, I am currently exploring the relationship between the accidental generation of forms, which serve as a point of departure, and secondary conscious elaboration, and  I am constantly looking for new ways to apply my mark to forms from nature in an attempt to create active and compelling imagery.

 

 

 

 

© 2009 Toby zur Loye. All rights reserved.