Fern Apfel

Lives and works in Kinderhook, NY, USA

Artist statement

I am a still-life artist but instead of painting traditional subjects, I paint pictures of paper, letters, playing cards and other nontraditional subjects. Often mistaken for collage, my trompe l’oeil compositions push our comprehension of the tangible. The dots on a set of dominos become constellations of stars. An open notebook hints at new possibilities. A vintage medicine bottle from a company named Hope can offer a bit of optimism. Each letter, envelope, stamp or playing card is painted with many layers of acrylic paint. All the writing and fine detail work is done by hand with archival pens. I work from real letters and memorabilia that I have gathered over many years and from all over the world. I find great beauty in these old papers. They are nostalgic reminders of things that no longer exist and histories of bygone times. In old letters and old things, we find loved ones, parents, old friends, and our old selves. Most of the writing in my paintings can be read. The text comes from different decades and locations, but the content is amazingly relevant and endearingly timeless. Playing cards can become our companion on a rainy afternoon or an accomplice when performing a magic trick. A box of old playing cards can remind us of a past time, prompt us to ponder the part that happenstance plays in our lives, or foretell the future. An empty notebook, a pair of dice, or the queen of hearts - when carefully placed - can evoke an elusive and often ambiguous new meaning....

Artwork