Josiah Ellner
Collect Bean: What about this group of artists compelled you to curate them together?
Josiah Ellner: I wanted to curate a group of artists who are working with ideas and themes adjacent to my own practice. Artists who engage with their everyday surroundings and work with the natural environment, depicting trees, gardens, birds, the sun, the moon, the sky, stars, soil, and flowers. Artists who are drawn to things that grow, drawn to the elements that connect us to the earth, the heavens, and one another.
Collect Bean: How has your taste evolved as an individual, especially while developing friendships with other artists?
Josiah Ellner: My taste has certainly become much less narrow. I still enjoy the art that I was interested in even as a child, but after grad school and befriending more and more artists, my taste has broadened immensely. This has made my taste less specific, and I have begun to enjoy a wider array of art. That being said, I think I will forever still be biased towards oil paintings and the figure.
Collect Bean: What do you want people to take away from viewing this exhibition?
Josiah Ellner: I would love for people to come away from this exhibition feeling more connected to themselves, the earth, and everyone we share it with. To feel hope, joy, desire, and a longing to further understand the earth and all the mysteries and magic it holds. I hope people leave with an overall renewed sense of wonder toward the world we live in.
Collect Bean: Tell us more about the title, Ground Below, Sky Above, and the Air in Between Us, and how it resonates with you.
Josiah Ellner: The title Ground Below, Sky Above, and the Air in Between Us gathers a group of artists who are deeply inspired by their environment and pull imagery from the natural world to use the visible to discuss the invisible.
My daily bike commute to work and walks around the neighborhood have heavily inspired my practice. During these commutes and walks, my eyes always wander toward the sky, searching for interesting cloud formations. Or scanning/examining/surveying the ground, my eyes trail the cracks in the concrete and pause at the flowering weeds peeking through. These moments and experiences ground me and make me feel connected to my body and environment.
Collect Bean: What gets you excited about discovering a new artist? What are you looking for?
Josiah Ellner: As an artist who is very much involved in their own practice, I become very excited when I discover artists who are either working in a similar style or exploring similar themes. Most, if not all, of the artists in this exhibition fit that bill! Right now, I am interested in discovering new artists who explore themes of spirituality.
