User:Redgramsci/Libby Booth

Elizabeth "Libby" Booth (born February 9, 1986) is an American painter and conceptual artist. She is best known for her unique utilization of alternative media and methods, in particular her vibrant acrylic paintings on cardboard and corkboard. Her works are highly influenced by Gaëlle Denis, Mark Rothko, Pete Fowler, Søren Kierkegaard, Nam June Paik, and Aldous Huxley as well as pop art, manga and Asian influences, in particular Takashi Murakami.

Booth resides in Chicago, IL and is well known throughout the Tri-City area of Michigan for her work in community art projects. She works with various organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Arson Watch, and University Artistry producing murals to promote public art, community unity, and to prevent arson. Her art has been featured in a number of local galleries and publications including The 211, Magic Bean Cafe, Midland Center for the Arts, Shamadere Gallery, Dawn of a New Day, the Creative Spirit Center, Cardinal Sins, and Temenos.

Booth describes her unique vision of art on her website:

Technical problems or lack of ability is never an issue in my artwork. Any disparity between reality and the way I've addressed it in my art is merely the fact that I have allowed emotion and life to occasionally override realistic perceptions. Consider sketching anything; children display this the best - even when looking at an object and drawing it directly; there is a huge influence from internal and external perceptions that distort the actual object and our interpretation of said object. I do not believe it should be put off as lack of ability or a deficit in classical training (even if applicable), but rather - it is an amazing and untainted ability of the child to allow their own reality (internal/external) to influence their interpretation in a very pure way. It's beautiful. I try to capture this natural impulse of allowing feelings and environment to influence my art... despite thorough classical training. It is true that we all exist in the same world, yet our individual experience is vastly different from anyone else. I don't discredit the ability to translate the world verbatim into artwork, but I think it is much more powerful when you can bring another person into your own world... show them the feelings and emotions that surround... I've studied psychology (that was my minor) and alternative physical science theories (meditation, tai chi, etc.) almost as much as I've studied art and I believe there is so much more to our perception than what we actually "SEE" with our eyes. This is what my art is all about. Straight from my heart, brain, conduit of life emotion... directly to my paintbrush and canvas (or cardboard). That's as much as I can put into text at the moment. Hopefully you can appreciate that.

Her current art projects include a number of collaborative ventures with local artists such a Paolo Pedini, Kevin Kucken, Dave Smith, and Joel Lewis. Booth recently moved to Chicago to pursue new opportunities in community art, placing great hope in the Artist Corp proposals being discussed by the Obama administration.

Articles and media

 * SVSU Artists Plan Mural Dedication
 * Mother Nature Painted Her Own Picture at the 2008 Tri-City Art Battle
 * Talented Artists Find Way Into Sins
 * A Battle Cry For Art
 * Temenos Literary Magazine Featured Artist
 * Cardinal Sins Art & Literary Magazine Featured Artist