Paula McDermott Art
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever" - Jacques Yves Cousteau
About Me
My Background
I have had a lifelong curiosity with nature, the cosmos, the micro in the macro of this world. The moon and the tides, the Sun and the stars, the hidden energies and vortexes on earth, dividing cells and bioluminescent plankton, the mountains in the seas. I feel drawn to the energy and magnetism of these things and places. They feel like a memory, I get lost in their currents, like paths to sacred sites.
My Medium
Much of my time is spent looking for, observing, manipulating and working with found, natural, recycled and repurposed material. These intuitively chosen materials are used to create kinetic, sometimes wearable, soft sculpture. My work often refers to the figure, microscopic organisms, ideas and guidance and collaboration with the natural world. These abstracted, surrealistic sculptures include small detailed pieces that often morph into large, soft squishy protective forms. These wearable forms can provide the wearer with personal space a soft protection. These sculptures are influenced by sea life, and the hidden, transparent worlds that we could not live without including cells, plankton, and fungi. Color also plays a large part in our lives, each color has its own frequency and brings its own healing energy. My work is all about transformation, humor, growth, mimicry, camouflage, and protection.