Alicia Forestall-Boehm

The Accumulation of Small Moments  12"hx12"w  Encaustic, Fiber on Panel  Do you ever find yourself in need of a change?  Maybe it's a change as small as a new haircut or maybe it takes the form of a new look to a room in your house.   Perhaps you don’t want a new look, but a new attitude.    Maybe what you seek is a new view of your life or your work?  W hatever it may be, it's always something fun to do because it brings some "newness" into your life.  We all find comfort in the status quo but a little change; something new can be just what we need.  Frozen Music     5.5”hx11”wx6.5”d    Encaustic, Fiber, Wire, Found Metal For a while now I have wanted to change my website.   I wanted to keep the basic design simple and focus on showing my artwork in a straightforward way.   I also wanted to assimilate various social media platforms into my website in order to create a more complete web presence.   My final revisions included tying in th

                                                       Vertical Lines                                                                       15”hx15”wx8”d                    Encaustic, Cheesecloth hand dyed by artist, Hemp cord, Wire, Found metal       in·vite / v. ɪnˈvaɪt; n. ˈɪn vaɪt / Show Spelled [ v. in- vahyt ; n. in -vahyt ]       verb, in·vit·ed, in·vit·ing, noun verb (used with object) 1. to request the presence or participation of in a kindly, courteous, or complimentary way, especially to request to come or go to some place, gathering, entertainment, etc., or to do something.                                                       Unfulfilled Dream                                                         6"hx32"wx7"d Encaustic, Cheesecloth hand dyed by artist, Hemp cord, Wire, Found metal   It is always nice to receive an invitation.  Although, today it is usuall

The Power of Place                 9”hx18”wx11”d                    encaustic, fiber, hemp cord, wire       Inspiration can come from anywhere.   As an artist, I am inspired by the urban landscape. I am drawn to the innate sense of randomness, clutter and change that can define an urban existence.     The landscape of the city and its architecture can seem unwelcoming with its hard edges and its overflow of inhabitants.   In actuality, there is an inherent harmony that exists in a city.   The visual repetitiveness and symmetry of the buildings themselves to the city plans they fill.   The cacophonies of sounds that can, with their aspect of constancy, make for a soothing element of dependability.   And while certainly, there is a certain discordant relationship among some city dwellers, there is a remarkable interchange of order among the majority of inhabitants.  I am also inspired by those people, whose visions helped to create this world.       The Power of Pl

    Earlier this year I was contacted by Kelley Baum, a teacher at Franklin Fine Arts school in Chicago with a request that I participate in the school's annual Arts Day.  I was happy to have been asked and eager to participate in this annual event.  Every year artists from all areas of the arts are invited to spend the day with the student body.  This year artists included dance companies, authors, theater companies, visual artists, actors and musicians.    I have some experience with teaching art in the classroom.  During the 2005-2006 academic year, I designed and implemented a weekly comprehensive art education curriculum for a Montessori class of children ages 6-9.   This curriculum amounted to a hands-on trip through art history.  The challenge was to create weekly projects that not only followed the history of art but were engaging and workable with the ages included in the classroom.  We began with one of the earliest examples of art, cave paintings.  Working wi

Unfulfilled Dream 6"x32"x7" encaustic, fiber, wire, cotton twine, found metal Just about 6 blocks from my house, along the Chicago river, is a huge hole in the ground.  It is 76 feet deep and 110 feet wide and is all that is left of the vision of what was to be the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.  The 2000 foot Spire, designed by famed architect Santiago Calatrava, was to be an architectural wonder in a city renowned for it's architecture.  Ongoing real-estate woes ultimately resulted in the abandonment of the project and the eyesore that remains.  Unfulfilled Dream A Work in Progress "Unfulfilled Dream" is the first in a series of sculptures that consider the impact that water has on Chicago’s urban landscape.  With beautiful Lake Michigan outlining the city to the east, the Chicago River that winds its way throughout the city and the many lagoons and waterways, water has indeed had an impact on this city.   Water is an el

Coming Together 9x12x13 encaustic, fiber, wire I do not like the cold. I know that many people are eager for the start of winter. They are happy to embrace the snow and the cold and all things winter. Now don't get me wrong, I am not immune to the beauty of newly fallen snow and the wondrous vision of the world enveloped in a white veil during a snowstorm but I prefer to experience this while tucked away in my home without any need to head out into all of this splendor. Needless to say, I am one of the many people that are eager for the start of spring. I love spring. Nature comes to life, replacing the dull colorless landscape with polished green and lovely flecks of color. One of my favorite signs of spring includes the return of boats to our harbors. While sailing along Lake Michigan this early in the year would undoubtedly be chilly to say the least, this action speaks to the optimistic expectation of warmer days to come.     It is with great expectation that I look t

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work." — Daniel Burnham (1846-1912) Architect Daniel Burnham, whom some consider the inventor of urban planning, offered a vision of what he believed a civilized city should look like at a time of urban disorder. He believed that a city could be both beautiful and efficient.   His work sought to merge things often thought of as opposite such as business with art and the practical with the ideal. Burnham’s influence is strongly felt in Chicago as well as across America. My newest piece, Make No Little Pl ans began as a simple wooden cube. Any of you who are familiar with my work will find this shape to be of no surprise! The square shape encourages balance and underscores the potential dichotomy in everything.    It symbolizes a prolonged state of presence and is a dependable and grounded structure.     I find comfort

I love Fall. I love the cooler temperatures and I love the changing colors & falling leaves and I really love the annual tradition of switching out my summer clothes for my winter clothes. The sight of a favorite comfy sweater almost makes me yearn for chilly Chicago winter days…almost. Not only does the weather change but the city changes. The beaches close, school resumes and in general, the number of visitors is vastly reduced. Now I love living in the city, but the sheer number of tourists that visit every summer can be overwhelming at times. There is a small pocket of time between summer and holiday shopping season where downtown Chicago feels more intimate. The sidewalks are just a little easier to navigate and the restaurants in our neighborhood are actually filled with neighbors. I am particularly happy to welcome Fall this year with a number of exciting exhibitions! Tactile Encounters: The Influence and Appearance of Textures I am pleased to have five 3D encaustic

Tendency of Thought (18"x18", encaustic, cheesecloth) A number of months ago I looked at a call that I wanted to apply to and saw that it specified “Only 2D” submissions. Now given that I have focused on 3D work over the last year or so, I thought this was a nice little challenge. Challenges are a good thing. They encourage us to experiment and they test our willingness to step out of our comfort zone. Sometimes these challenges emerge as mere questions; how can I hang this sculpture on the wall, how can I use this material differently, how can I convey this idea? A good number of these deliberations remain ‘on the back burner’, so to speak, waiting for that spark of inspiration. Sometimes that spark happens right away. I see something new that hints at an answer, or look at the problem in a whole new way. Sometimes it’s just that infamous 'happy accident'. With this submission challenge, I knew that I wanted to incorporate both encaustic and cheesecloth

Today is the first day of the Crafts National exhibition at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka, Kansas. I am pleased to be one of the 87 geographically diverse artists included in this excellent show juried by independent curator Gail M. Brown. The exhibition ultimately chosen by every juror is as unique as their vision. It is always of great interest to have the opportunity to get a peek into their thoughts on juroring a particular show. Below are some thoughts from Ms. Brown from the exhibition catalog. "“What Is Memorable?” A national juried exhibition holds the promise of an abundance of meaningful choices. Within the context of the unknown and the tantalizing anticipation of the new, “possibilities” can be dizzying, including those of familiar vocabulary exploring fresh directions. This new exhibition opportunity as well as exuberant expectations from a constant viewer, was fed sumptuously by a diverse applicant pool. My desire to be introduced to works by artists I ha

I am so happy to announce that my work will be heading to New York! The Mane was chosen for inclusion in the show WAX at the Brooklyn Artists Gym. The show runs from May 19-June 4. The opening reception is Saturday May 19 from 6:00-9:00.