the art and writing of
DJ Gaskin
DJ Gaskin
About the Artist...
DJ Gaskin has explored watercolor, oil, photography and more, and now primarily focuses on acrylic and mixed-media collage and book arts. Drawing on her love of the wild, nature is frequently a theme in her work. “I look at elements of nature in terms of the correlations to human nature,” she says. “Integrating pieces of the earth or other natural representations and images into my art is similar to how I use nature metaphors in my poems, as symbols for the man-made elements of life that draw on our natural instincts or seem to parallel the behaviors among wildlife.”
Her fascination with texture and layers drives much of DJ’s work. Her art has been called both elegant and earthy, as well as adventurous. She loves to experiment, exploring how different papers react to different mediums. And, like any collage artist, she's a collector of things. Her work not only features various handmade and fine decorative or painted papers, but also 'found' papers -- an old letter, foreign text from an antique book, old maps and sheet music -- and even three-dimensional objects. DJ’s passion for paper is also demonstrated in her handmade journals, artist books and other, experimental, book arts.
DJ is a member of the National Collage Society, Springfield Art Guild, Del Ray Artisans, and The Art League at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria. Exhibits have included:
Del Ray Artisans Art From Everyday Life – September 2011
Green Spring Gardens Springfield Art Guild exhibit – September 2011
The Art League 'Scapes exhibit - August 2011
National Collage Society Wish You Were Here Annual Postcard Show - April 2011
Target Gallery March Madness fundraising exhibit - March 2011
Del Ray Artisans Love Letters - February - which featured three of my works, including my artist's book "Love: A User's Manual" - February 2011
Del Ray Artisans Baby It's Cold Outside – January 2011
Del Ray Artisans Blue - An Interpretation – November 2010
Crossroads Gallery at The Goodwin House – solo exhibit: A Passion for Paper – August-October 2010
The Art League Curves exhibit – May-June 2010 (Honorable Mention Award)The Workhouse at Lorton Greenspiration – May-June 2010
Zig Zag, The Plains, Va., Paper Stew – April 2010
International Au Natural exhibit at Clatsop College – Feb. 25-April 8, 2010
New Works Faculty, Student & Staff show, The Workhouse at Lorton - January 2010
Bits & Pieces collage exhibit during New Rochelle ArtsFest (New York) – October 2009 (invitational)
A Running Commentary exhibit, Girls Gotta Run Foundation, Washington DC - October 2009
The Art League Annual Landscape show – August-Sept. 2009
Fairfax Government Center Springfield Art Guild summer exhibit – July-Sept. 2009
Del Ray Artisans Mixed Media Multiplied – July 2009
Del Ray Artisans Bond for Life – June 2009
Del Ray Artisans Celebrate the Art of Making – April 2009
Del Ray Artisans Nocturne – January 2009
Del Ray Artisans From Our Trees – October 2008
The Workhouse at Lorton Grand Opening show – September 2008
Del Ray Artisans Picture Me – September 2008
Del Ray Artisans As We Are: the Enduring Nude – July 2008
Visit Stifel & Capra for DJ's journals and art books.