February 26-March 26, 2009

Bridgette Bogle, Candy Store Grid, 2006-09, water-soluble oil on canvas, 12 x 12 in. each

Artist Statement

The world is a candy store.

I walk into the giant store and everything is pretty and desirable. I find myself coveting dishes, heart-shaped note pads, hand towels and hot pink pet food dispensers. I stand in the aisle debating between the silly sweet butterflies printed on one brand of toilet paper and the hearts and polka dots on another. These are things I absolutely don’t need, but for which I have a ravenous desire.

This past Christmas season, I received the holiday Victoria’s Secret catalog in the mail. Each page exploded with color and choice. The pages I fixated on were covered in a diversity of options for flannel pajamas Pink plaid, green plaid, pink stars, little dogs, big dots, small dots, stripes, hearts, little bows, swirls, every hue represented in a bold bright cacophony of color and pattern. I was taken in by this abundance and wanted to own every style; my eyes were overwhelmed.

Painting these patterns is a way to purge myself of the desire to own everything, to consume beyond my means, to eat the entire world. They allow me to celebrate the boundless selections I see without having to buy them. The patterns andpossibilities seem infinite, in the same way the choices made while painting seem infinite. Maybe tonight I’ll go for green hearts.

– Bridgette Bogle