Artist Research Paperwork

Mrs. C-Harvey

Date 9/19
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AP studio art

Artists Full Name: Marilyn Lysohir

Date of Birth: 1950
Place of Birth: Sharon, PA

Primary type of artwork (example: painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking,

ceramics etc. )
Sculptural ceramics
Media (What materials were predominately in this artists work?)
Clay, mixed media
Style or art period most associated with the artists
Realism, as well as touches of surrealism
Please list in complete sentences personal/interesting information on the artist.
Include education, influences, experiences etc.
Marilyn Lysohir studied at the Ohio Northern University, the Centro
Internazionale Di Studi in Verona Italy, and at Washington State
University. Shes taught ceramics at multiple schools all over the US, and
has been a part of exhibitions all over the world. Shes won awards for
both her artwork and her candy company, Cowgirl Chocolates, which she
owns. Currently shes based in Idaho, and says that she is inspired by her
family and friends, and the personal ideas that go along with those
relationships. She most enjoys working with large-scale installation pieces
that take a significant amount of time to create.
Sources:
http://marilynlysohir.com/

Critiques:

The Alligators Wife, 15 long x 4 x 4 high, Clay, rice, electric lights, 1981
Description: This work is of a table, covered in rice, on top of which lies an
alligator. On top of the alligator a woman lies on her back in a bridal gown, looking
upward and holding a bouquet. The womans hair is done up and in it is a small
white bow. The rice is drawn in, with patterns that almost make it look like sand.
Surrounding the alligator and forming three sides of a frame on the wall behind the
piece is a string of lights. There are lines in the skin of the alligator and the wedding
dress of the woman to show scales and fabric. The colors are all muted, and the
lights give a yellowed glow to the whole piece.
Analysis: The positioning of the forms laid out, one on top of the either, creates a
long movement down the piece. The brightness of the lights against the muted
colors and the darkened background of the piece creates a stark contrast, and
emphasis is placed on the outline of the gator that is traced by a string of lights.
The detail in the forms adds emphasis on them that pulls them out of the rest of the
piece. The string of lights draws the viewers eye to every part of the piece in an
almost rectangular movement.
Interpretation: The positioning of the forms and the movement created by the
lights in this piece makes me think that the concept is in regards to the culture of
marriage. It is no longer a sacred thing, but more of a show, and I think that the
square shape of the lights against the wall is similar to that of the lights on a mirror
in a dressing room. That, and the fact that the groom appears to be an alligator,
creates an overall feeling of fakeness. The bride is expressionless and lies there
atop the gator, as if there is no meaning behind the event, but it is purely for show.
Judgment: I think that this piece will have a lasting impact. For starters, its huge,
and it uses a very unique mix of mediums. The concept is vague and has an
interesting realistically-surreal style that makes the viewer want to contemplate it.
The piece is simple, none of its aspects are overwhelming, and the soft yellow glow
of the lights give it a very vintage aesthetic, like looking at an old and very strange
photograph. This sculpture takes well-known symbols, such as an alligator, the

feminine bridal wardrobe, and uses them to create a strange and memorable work
that is hard to understand.

Bad Manners, 106 long x 71 deep x 42 high, Clay and wood, 1983
Description: This piece is a large sculpture of a dining room table, complete with a
set of four matching chairs and a clean tablecloth, completely covered in colorful
food. There are two lit candles in the middle of the chaotic dinner, and foods that
wouldnt normally go together, such as a fish and a banana, sit side by side. In each
chair sits the form of a clothed person, but without any human body parts. There
are two women and two men, each sitting across from the other member of the
same sex. Their clothes appear full, but are actually empty, as there are no hands,
no faces, and even the shoes underneath the table lie empty. The food is colored
brightly and looks savory, while the parts of the dining set and the clothes of the
figures are much more neutral.
Analysis: There is repetition in the human form, despite the lack of actual humans,
as they all sit in exactly the same position. The detail, texture, and bright colors of
the food (as well as the quantity of it) creates an emphasis on the food itself. The
muted colors of everything besides the food contrasts it and helps with that

emphasis. The crowding of the forms of the dinner allows the viewers eye to move
all over the table, and then bounce between the four stark figures. The overall
brightness of the piece contrasts against the dark holes where the figures heads
should be, which emphasizes that there are, again, no actual humans at the table.
Interpretation: Looking at the title and the emphasis on the food in the piece, it
seems that the concept is about the social hub that can be found at the dinner
table. In human culture, the dinner table or even just community meals symbolize a
place of sharing, family, and connection. With the emphasis on the food and the
shear amount of it, I think that the artist made this piece in regards to the focus on
food in America, and how the dinner table is losing its symbol of communion and
instead becoming just a stop for food. By focusing solely on the food, we lose are
humanity and the sharing and familial aspects of dinner time, thus explaining the
empty clothes and the title.
Judgment: I think this piece is significant. Just like The Alligators Wife, it is
somewhat obscure in its meaning, whereas a lot of pieces are obvious in their
concepts. Lysohirs execution of the piece is very surreal, almost like youve just
stepped into a bad dream where your family has no bodies. Its almost eerie in a
Dali-esque fashion, and the bright colors and recognizable symbols make it hard to
forget.

Other works:

The Tattooed Ladies and the Dinosaur, Installation at Eastern Washington University,
Legs: approx 42 high, 670 Dinosaur bones: from 2 to 4' in length, 150 Tiles: 12 x
12 x 1, Clay, 2001

The Fourth Sister, 12 long x 8 deep x 56 high, Clay and plexiglass, 1981

The Dark Side of Dazzle (installation), Ship: 24 long 4 wide x 9 high, Clay, wood,
sound, 1985-1986

Maiden America, 17 x 18 x 68 high, Clay, 1978