Thoughts on religion and being a woman come together in Marilyn Artus' unique mixed media pieces

"Our Lady of the Anti-Personnel Weapon, and Her Stepford Friends"
a.k.a. gallery
3001 Paseo
6-10 p.m. Friday reception 
through June 27
606-2522, www.akagallery.net

There is a lot going on in the mind of Oklahoma artist Marilyn Artus. And with her first solo exhibit, "Our Lady of the Anti-Personnel Weapon, and Her Stepford Friends," she patches everything together.
 
"These pieces say ... so many of my thoughts on religion and on the complexities of being a woman," she said.  

Being further influenced by mass media, advertising, human behavior and pop culture, Artus finds a way to literally stitch each inspiration together.

"I come from four generations of women that created beautiful things from a needle and cloth," she said. "I tried other media, but they never felt quite right; it always felt like something was missing. I eventually added embroidery to my work. It was a eureka moment."

"Our Lady" is comprised of layered, computer-manipulated works enlaced with her hand-stitched embroidery "? forming natural contrasts between the sharp, digitized images and organic needlework "? all while further entwining facets of modern society, religion and traditional femininity.

The final product includes nine, life-sized nuns that are "big and confrontational," and the "Stepfords," which Artus said are "Frankensteined versions of blessed virgins and pinup girls."

On display through June 27, the exhibit opens with a 6-10 p.m. Friday reception at a.k.a. gallery, 3001 Paseo. For more information, visit www.akagallery.net or call 606-2522. "?Joshua Boydston

above Marilyn Artus will show "I Told You This One Meant Business" and other works at her first solo exhibit, opening Friday.

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