Connie Saddlemire first began “making art” while living in Taiwan, as a child, during the mid-1950’s. She also visited Japan during that time and soon afterward moved to New Mexico. The visual impressions from these locations were revealed in Saddlemire’s aesthetic sensibility as she became an artist, during the late 1960’s and 1970’s, while living in Upstate New York and Massachusetts. Frequent visits to the galleries and museums of New York City, throughout her adult years, have continued to be an influence on her work, as well.
In the artist’s own words:
“In its essence, my artwork is about a love for experimenting with color, combined with an enduring attraction to various types of grids.
On a higher level, it’s about finding beauty in the mundane and celebrating the ordinary things that are around me in my everyday life. I find inspiration in a quilt made up of triangular pieces of fabric and in the geometric patterns of Zapotec and Navajo weavings. There is even beauty in the floor tiles, some made of terracotta clay and others made of stone. Outdoors during haying season, there are hay bales that have inspired my artwork, as well. My most recent series of Solarplate monoprints began with a square, close-up photo of a corrugated Corten steel exterior wall, with its 3-dimensional and textured linear pattern.
Because my process involves the layering of colors and textures, I intentionally cause an unpredictable effect and the acceptance of imperfection is key. In this world where randomness and happenstance play such an important part, I sometimes think of my artwork as a metaphor for life.”
Saddlemire holds a BA from St. Lawrence University and an MA in Studio Art (Lithography) from State University of New York at Albany. She has exhibited her work in numerous solo and group shows across the United States and is in a number of public and private collections.
Since 2008, Saddlemire has been living and working in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
