Artist Statement
Through my work, I hope to promote a reverence and respect for the planet earth. I believe there is an undeniable interconnectedness between living and nonliving entities, and wish to foster a deeper human connection with nature. I seek to share this vision of the world to viewers on a visceral, instinctual level.
Current work explores the ancient philosophy of the Five Elements – earth, wood, water, metal and fire – an idea that has resonated with philosophers, religions and cultures throughout time. All the ecosystems of the Earth seek equilibrium through transforming and evolving. All entities of the planet – animals, plants, minerals – are permeated by an inexplicable force which provides the invisible energy allowing the planet to live. Today, the Five Elements theory is at the core of Chinese medicine, feng shui, yoga principles, much more and even modern quantum physics.
As a visual conveyance of the underlying messages critical to our survival on earth, my current exploration is comprised of sculpture, paintings, and installations. The juxtaposition of modern, sleek surfaces with natural materials underscore the current crisis between man and nature. This work employs mixed media, generally created by myself, such as acrylic polymers mixed with natural materials from my Hill Country abode including ash, Texas madrone wood and bark, limestone/caliche, soil, burnt oak, cedar, more.
CV/Bio
CV
link to CV pdf
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Austin, Mars Woodhill now lives and works on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country. The artist creates geomorphic abstractions in sculpture and painting. As Woodhill states, her work “is a celebration of nature - both the living and nonliving systems - fostering a deeper human connection to the earth.” Her process mimics how nature forms and manifests striations, craters, boundaries, and even new life forms. Woodhill is currently completing numerous series exploring the ‘Elements of Nature – Earth, Water, Fire, Metal and Wood’, comprised of sculpture and wall installations. Woodhill hopes her work will invite viewers to a closer view of earth’s interrelated systems, thereby promoting more sustainable stewardship of land, sea and air.
After obtaining her BA from Austin College in Sherman, Texas with dual majors in History and Art (painting), Woodhill founded and operated for 15 years a metal furniture and accessories company based on her own designs in Houston. After selling the business, she established a studio practice at Spring Street Studios exhibiting widely in Houston, Texas, and the Northeast and her work can be found in numerous private collections. As founder of the Texas Art House contemporary gallery in 2016 in Johnson City, Texas, Woodhill curated solo and group exhibitions featuring Texas artists, until returning to her studio work full time in 2018.
