Elizabeth Keithline, Vegetal, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 8’ x 4’

About the Exhibit

Keithline’s work focuses on human self-extension in many forms. A weaver since age 14, in 1996 she invented a sculpture technique called Lost Box, in which wire is woven around a form and burned out or detached. Keithline has woven a full-scale wire post and beam house, a 1969 Dodge Charger, an upright piano and bench and countless abstract sculptures.

In 2019, Keithline exhibited an installation of suspended wire sculptures at the University Art Gallery at Umass Dartmouth. She traced the shadows of the sculptures onto wall mounted 8’ x 4’ sheets of paper. This exhibit is a further abstraction of this effort, as her traced drawings have been transferred to canvas and painted. Her paintings will be featured in the front gallery and a wire sculpture/shadow installation will be shown in the back.

Coupled with the wire installation, the back room will feature the music of the New Federal Hillbillies. Jeff Keithline and Friends will perform a live, site-specific improvisational music soundscape at the August 21st opening. The group will draw inspiration from Elizabeth’s work, as well as the themes of wire, color, and movement to create a sonic backdrop for the evening.

Keithline’s work has been exhibited at the Peabody Essex Museum, the Danforth Museum, the Newport Art Museum, the Fuller Museum, the Governors Island Art Fair, ArtPrize Grand Rapids, Blue Star Contemporary San Antonio, the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit and many others.

Elizabeth Keithline, Ledges Sheltering Sky, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 8’ x 4’

Elizabeth Keithline, New Sky New Ground, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 8’ x 4’

Elizabeth Keithline, Summer Ledge II, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 9” x 12”

Elizabeth Keithline, Summer Ledge V, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 9” x 12”

Elizabeth Keithline, Sky Ground II, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 9” x 12”

Elizabeth Keithline, Sky Ground IV, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 11” x 14”

Elizabeth Keithline, Water Sky, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 11” x 14”

Elizabeth Keithline, Vast, 2020-21, acrylic on canvas, 9” x 12”

About the Artist

Artist Elizabeth Keithline’s work focuses on human self-extension and its effects.

In 1996, she invented a sculpture technique wherein wire is woven around an object and then burned out, leaving behind a wire ‘memory’.