Sharon Derry is a book and paper artist
living & working in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dog-eared, mouse-eaten, worn, water-stained, brittle, discolored, crumbling
Why are we attracted to old things? Why is a crumbling aesthetic so appealing?
Things that are old - that have damage and patina - have survived. They wear the evidence of their life
and use. They bear the imprint of those who made and touched them, and offer a glimpse into long ago.
What we see is gauzy, peripheral, not quite in focus. It leaves room for us to imagine our own stories
about these forgotten strangers and their lives.
I'm interested in the structure, and craft of old things and the idea of creating new layers
of meaning and marks on them.
Why are we attracted to old things? Why is a crumbling aesthetic so appealing?
Things that are old - that have damage and patina - have survived. They wear the evidence of their life
and use. They bear the imprint of those who made and touched them, and offer a glimpse into long ago.
What we see is gauzy, peripheral, not quite in focus. It leaves room for us to imagine our own stories
about these forgotten strangers and their lives.
I'm interested in the structure, and craft of old things and the idea of creating new layers
of meaning and marks on them.