Gretchen Slentz And Her Wild World of Wonder

Patch sat down with local artist Gretchen Slentz to discuss the things that inspire her large paper mache sculptures and intricate fabric-based art.

Patch: What is your preferred form of art? How did you develop the interest?
Slentz: That’s a good question. I would have to say paper mache, because I love to sculpt and paint, but it’s very hard to pick just one. I’m not loyal to any particular medium. My interest in art started very young. My mom spent time in Malaysia and Pakistan as a child, and I would look at the figurines and tapestries that her family had collected there. In high school I discovered the yarn paintings of the Huichol tribe in Mexico, and I was hooked. Their folk art is by far the most inspiring to me.

Patch: When did you begin creating jewelry and how did you learn the art?
Slentz: I started stringing beads together when I was around five. I was literally obsessed with developing new patterns and pairing different colors together. My mom had a tub of seed beads she had collected, and I would dig through it to find the right color. It was like a treasure hunt. In high school I started learning off loom bead weaving, and going to bead shows in search of lampworked beads. The bumpy ones are my favorite.

Patch: What kinds of things inspire you?
Slentz: Well beyond the obvious—color, patterns, detail—I’d have to say there are many things that inspire me. Animal rights, treating animals as if they were alive and not just a product to be bought and consumed, is why I make paper mache animals and then I decorate them bright and colorful. It’s my way of paying homage to their different personalities. Mexican folk art, especially the Huichol tribe, inspire a lot of the techniques and colors that I use. Sociology, politics are major influences; especially in “DEBT” and “Desecrated Flags on a Bush.” The club kid movement in the '90s influenced some of my work, especially the wearables. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, her views on independent-mindedness and integrity had a profound impact on me. So yeah, I draw inspiration from everywhere, and the list will continue to grow I’m sure.

Patch: What pieces are you most proud of and why?
Slentz: Im most proud of my two large scale paper mache animals. First I made “Meat Cow” in 2006. He is about two-and-half feet tall, and three feet wide, so he’s smaller than life size. I drew out the sections of the cow that the butchers cut up, and decorated each of them differently with different found objects that were red. Fingernails, sequins, thumb tacks, etc. Red to represent the meat that we use the cow for, and white utters to represent their milk. So he’s basically an androgynous cow. Next I made “Kennedy”, a life-size deer, in 2008-2009. He took about five months to complete, because I decided to decorate his whole body with a yarn painting. Took three months to glue all that yarn down, but it was worth it because I think he looks beautiful! I named him Kennedy because they are always shot at. I’m most proud of them because they make a statement about animal rights.

Patch: What are your ties to Havre de Grace?
Slentz: I was raised here and attended and . I started participating in the around that time, since it gave me a hobby in the summer when I wasn’t in school. I would make art every day to prepare. I looked forward to it so much I wouldn’t sleep the night before, it was like Christmas. Now I volunteer and show my work at .

Patch: Where can people purchase your art locally?
Slentz: at 214 Union Ave. is the only local venue that my art is regularly exhibited in. I also do several local art shows, like the , , and The Harford Day School Art Show in Bel Air. They can also go to my website if they are interested in a particular piece or want a piece commissioned.

Patch: Do you have a studio or gallery?
Slentz: Yes, we have a carriage house in our backyard and I’ve converted the upstairs into a studio. I also make art in my house, either in the kitchen or my room. ArtUnion is where it ends up when I’m finished. I’m never really finished with a piece though, there’s always more I can do. When I was little my mom always said, “An artist’s work is never done.” And it’s true.

Patch: Can you describe what you love most about your art?
Slentz: The process of making it. It really makes itself. I plan nothing out, pre-sketches are a waste of time I think. My teachers at art school always forced me to draw out my animals first, and I hated it. If it turns out a little wonky, I’ll work with it. I start with a shape or color and build it from there. Decorating, detail, dots, lines, zig zags, that’s the funnest part.

Patch: Where would you like to take your art in the future?
Slentz: Wherever it takes me, preferably worldwide. Having a show in Rome or Barcelona or Athens would be incredible. I’d like to be able to make a living making and teaching art. If I can inspire just one kid to enjoy making art I’ll be satisfied. I eventually want to publish a coloring book of my zen doodles, finish my series of yarn painting portraits, and make another large scale paper mache animal. There are several high-end craft galleries in the U.S. that I’d like to show my work in. I admit I know little about the business and marketing part of being an artist, so if I can master that, and be a successful full time artist, I’ll have achieved my ultimate goal. But if I don’t become the next Andy Warhol or Frida Kahlo I won’t be that devastated. Art is my way of expressing myself visually, so as long as I can continue to create, I will be happy.