enter button
word project button
blog button
etsy button

Polly M. Law: Bricoleur, Artist, Designer, Mythologeinist

the artist before reality set in

  • Born and raised in a hamlet in the northeast corner of Ohio too many years ago.
  • Born on the day Libra switches over to Scorpio, not sure which I am.
  • First artwork displayed at age 8 in village Library-"Three Jesters" (crayon on construction paper.)
  • First work accepted in juried art show at age 16, "City of the Sun" (tissue paper collage on cardboard), Three Rivers Art Festival, Pittsburgh, PA.
  • At age 17, vowed to never "prostitute" myself by being a commercial artist (see,"ate words" below.)
  • Entered Kent State University, majoring in glassblowing.
    Had bad glassblowing accident(no, I did not inhale) and switched major to weaving.
  • Moved to NYC, 1977.
  • Worked at Neal Adams' Continutity Associates, learned how to do storyboards (ate words,) a career I pursued for over 20 years, 15 of them freelance.
  • Joined the Graphic Artists Guild.
  • Joined the Society of Illustrators.
  • Moved out of NYC, 1993.
  • Founded Thrum's End Art Studio in 1993 in Saugerties, New York.
  • Closed Thrums End and established Buttonwood in 2008 in Kingston, NY.

Artist's Statement:

My work has been described as "paper dolls with deep personal issues." While perhaps glib the statement is also somewhat accurate. My work is figurative, and before the figures are secured to their backgrounds they are as adjustable as a traditional paper doll-but there the similarity ends. Constraint in both the material and emotional pallettes is a hallmark of my work.
Although my subjects often look directly at the viewer, their focus is usually inward, on suppressed emotions, deep history and realms of myth and symbolism. The exuberant pattern and color of the backgrounds and costumes are in contrast to the restraint. The figures are contained by, and perhaps resent, their opulent, feminine trappings; and yet who does not wish for a rustle of silk in their life?
In another series of works, I am mining a deep vein of emotional coal-unearthing the compressed feelings from episodes of abuse in my childhood and burning them onto the "pages" of the series, "A Child's Garden of Entropy." While the work can be brutal, it is artistically rich and rewarding for me.
I use simple materials: illustration board, paint, string, wire, buttons. I seek to achieve both opulence and challenge.



the brontes for the NYTimes Book Review

Clients include:

Illustration:

  • New York Times Book Review
  • Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities Magazine
  • The New Physician Magazine
  • Strategic Finance Magazine
  • Fine Gardening Magazine
  • Woman's Day Magazine
  • Cricket Magazine
  • Gourmet Magazine
  • Parents Magazine
  • Target Stores Magazine
  • Addison Wesley
  • Harcourt Brace
  • Sadlier
  • Folkmanis

Needlepoint:

  • Ehrman, UK

Web Design:
I do graphic design also


Galleries:



Solo Shows:
 the original Word Project poster

  • Selected Works; Oriole9, Woodstock, NY, 11/09
  • Selected Works; Barnes & Noble, Kingston, NY
  • "The Word Project: Odd & Obscure Words- Illustrated;" Sept, 2008; The Little Gallery, Sage College, Albany, NY
  • "The Word Project: Odd & Obscure Words- Illustrated;" May, 2008; Arts Upstairs, Phoenicia, NY
  • "Inspired Eyes;"June, 2007, M Gallery, Catskill, NY
  • "The Word Project: Odd & Obscure Words- Illustrated;" September, 2006; Woodstock Artists Association & Museum, Woodstock, NY


Group Shows:

  • "Far & Wide" 2nd Annual Woodstock Regional, Woodstock Artists Association & Museum, Woodstock, NY; 4/3/10-5/3/10
  • "11PICK2," WAAM, Woodstock, NY; 11/09-1/10
  • Locust Grove Invitational Fine Art Auction, Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie, NY; April 26, 2009
  • "The River" Regional Art Exhibition, WAAM, April, 2009
  • "The National Cup Show- Director's Extension", Barrett Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY, 2008
  • "Call & Response: Artists Respond to Young Poets," WAAM; April, 2008
  • "Hudson Valley Women Artists Outside of the Box," Barrett Clay Works Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY: March, 2008
  • "Watermark '08," North Carolina Community College, Whiteville, NC; March 2008
  • "Holiday Show", M Gallery, Catskill, NY; December, 2007
  • "The Nude Show", M Gallery, Catskill, NY; October, 2007
  • "Woodstock Biennial," Kleinart/James Gallery, Woodstock, NY; August, 2007
  • "3rd Biennial Dimensional Salon," Society of Illustrators, NY, NY; Dec 5-29, 2006.
  • American Illustration, web portion, 2006
  • WAAM, Woodstock, NY;
    Feb/Mar/2010
    Mar/Apr/Sep/Oct/Dec/2009
    Feb/May/Sep/Oct/Dec/2008
    Feb/Mar/May/June/July/Oct/Nov/Dec/2007
    Feb/Mar/May/June/July/Aug/Sept/Dec/2006
    Feb/Mar/Apr/June/Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec/2005
    Feb/Apr/May/June/Aug/Nov/Dec/2004.
  • Arts Upstairs, Phoenicia, NY: monthly salon shows since 2004.


Articles:

  • To watch a video of me talking about my work and demonstrating some of my techniques (in my former studio-sigh), go here.
  • "Collages Make Clear Statements," Enjoy, Poughkeepsie Journal; March 14, 2008
  • "Resource Recovery"; Almanac, Ulster Publishing; April 26, 2007
  • "Art in the Garden," "Hanging Out"(Spring 2007) the newsletter of laundrylist.org
  • "Illuminated Obscure Words"; Writing Magazine; February/March, 2007
  • "Polly's law.....;"Woodstock& Saugerties Times; 9/7, 2006
  • "Constructed Magic;" Inside Out Magazine; 3/4, 2006
  • Saugerties Times; 4/17/03
  • "Polly Law Will Doodle All the Day;" Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine; 9/10, 2002
  • "Country in the City;" Country Living (U.S.) Magazine; 8/9, 1993
  • "The Inspired Landscape: For the Birds;" Catskill Mountain Region Guide; July 2004

Awards: my swimming medal (50 Meter Freestyle, Borts Pool, Yo. OH; August 4, 1964)

  • Bank of America Prize, "Far & Wide: 2nd Annual Regional;" Woodstock Artists Association; April, 2010
  • 2009 Yasuo Kuniyoshi Award, Woodstock Artists Association
  • Best-In-Show, Woodstock Artists Association; July 2008
  • Sarah Kuniyoshi Award, Woodstock Artists Association; June 2007
  • Honorable Mention, Woodstock Artists Association, October 2007
  • Honorable Mention, Woodstock Artists Association, September 2007
  • American Illustration, (web portion, 2006)
  • Alan Koff Award; Woodstock Artists Association; October 2006
  • Lucile Blanch Award; Woodstock Artists Association; May 2006
  • Honorable Mention, Woodstock Artists Association, July 2006
  • Leo Borkman Award; Woodstock Artists Association; April 2005
  • Lucile Blanch Award; Woodstock Artists Association; February 2005
  • Honorable Mention, Woodstock Artists Association; July 2005
  • Honorable Mention, Woodstock Artists Association, October 2005
  • People's Choice Award; Woodstock Artists Association; June 2006





(Yes, this used to be the Thrums End Art Studio, but the art- beautiful bricolage- and the sensibility remain the same.)

Buttons Rule

845-514-2000
email
Site Design, Graphics,& Images unless otherwise noted: © P.M.Law/MMVIII