Abigail Gunnels: Domestic Detritus, A Family Album

I am a mother, wife, woman, and artist. I identify with these roles daily, sometimes independently of each other but more often these conflicting responsibilities are intertwined. When I look around my house I see remnants of life, and accumulated evidence of time passing. As a mother, I strive to provide a loving home that is both clean and safe for my daughter. As a wife married to another female artist I strive to foster a supportive partnership while building an environment where our family can grow. As a woman, I am redefining my own gender roles in the context of my family. As an artist, my work is informed by the reconciliation of these various roles. This current body of work focuses on my fascination with detritus consisting of lint, bugs, dirt, and hair that accumulate in the nooks and crannies of my home. Each image is a portrait of the trace evidence from a period of time, illustrating a balance between the artistic, feminine, professional, and domestic self.