Miriam Wosk is a Santa Monica artist whose work explores the world of nature with elaborate ornamentation, abundance of pattern and color, and a use of unexpected juxtaposed materials. Her mixed media paintings and collages express the ecstasy and beauty of existence, alongside it’s shadow, the awareness of mortality and the fragility of life.
Miriam began her career in New York in the 60’s and 70’s as a “Mademoiselle Magazine Guest Editor” and then as an illustrator for such publications as “The New York Times”, “Vogue”, “Esquire” and “New York Magazine”, among others. She also did the first cover of “Ms. Magazine” and many anniversary issues since then.
Wosk moved to Los Angeles 30 years ago and left behind her illustration career to become an artist. She invented her own very personal vocabulary of images which explore the metaphysical and Surreal world. However it is balanced with a love of the decorative as she transforms old paper, paint, foils, jewels, natural history charts, wire and assorted found and collected objects, into expressions of dazzling, complex beauty and power.
Her work is intuitive and symbolically autobiographical, as Miriam explores the interconnectedness of all of nature, and what it means to be alive in the chaos and abundance of it all. She says ”The work, like a dream, emerges from that unknown place in myself that holds the true reflection of who I am…I am open to the unexpected….that’s where the thrill of the creative process happens, when I surprise myself ”.
For her there is no separation between art and life….everything is part of the gestalt, and an expression of her artistic vision. She has collaborated with architects including Frank Gehry and Steven Ehrlich, has designed and painted furniture and worked on interiors, tile and mosaics, glass, metalwork and textiles. As KCRW art writer Edward Goldman has said about her…”Everything Miriam does she does with passion, personality, and taste.”
See the article on Miriam Wosk in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of Ricco Maresca's online magazine, Fluence.
