Much of my work has explored nostalgia, American expectations of “womanhood,” and the utilization of actual objects/materials (vs.

representations) to elicit feelings of longing or familiarity. This approach has extended to this project which began with research and visits to historic town sites and mining operations in Colorado, most of which are 100-150 years old. I am not interested in the “gold rush” aspect of these sites, but am compelled by the human imprint that remains there — the evidence of ingenuity, curious artifacts, skeletons of architectural struc-tures, and evidence of the hand. This lineage of the handmade is exciting to me as an artist and maker, as is exploring the histories of these sites and uncovering the stories of the people who inhabited them.

Incorporating an aesthetic of decay, the work addresses the mythologizing of a highly romanticized time in the American West, and the almost invis-ible role of women (beyond their recognized contributions as prostitutes). While I’ve conducted extensive research in texts, archives and library collections, I’ve found that being present physically at these sites and sur-rounding topography allows me to bear witness to the residue of human activity that has since been cast aside, buried, or is in a state of disinte-gration due to exposure or neglect. There is a strong pull of sentimentality and nostalgia witnessed at these “living museums” and I’m fascinated by the stories told by these decaying structures, and the cans, glass bottles, ceramic shards, and the artifacts that surround them.

Of particular interest are the gloves, shoe soles, and delicate pieces of painted china and mother-of-pearl buttons which evidence the presence of women, whose stories I have begun to uncover and whose images ap-pear in the print series. My hope is this work is a prime vehicle to start conversations around preservation, conservation, local history, and the tenuous position (yet formidable contribution) of women at a pivotal time in the American West.

Human ImprintPilgrimage, History and Artifacts

SARAH GJERTSON

South London StructuresInkjet print of unaltered digital photograph23 x 33” mounted2017

Ladies in the Landscape (with Lulu)Oil based solar plate monoprint, 28 x 36” 2017

Hilltop NotchInkjet print of unaltered digital photograph24 x 32”2017

Embedded (for Eula)Oil based solar plate monoprint, 24 x 32” framed, 2017

All images are property of Sarah Gjertson. The use or reproduction of any image is prohibited without written permission from the artist.

Elsie and the Mosquito RangeOil based solar plate monoprint17 x 21” framed2017

PRESENTED BY

Claim Chaos with ArtifactsOil based solar plate monoprint18 x 22” framed2017

North London Mill with Mosquito PeakInkjet print of unaltered digital photograph24 x 35” mounted2017

SARAH GJERTSON has been an artist and art educator for almost 20 years. She earned her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, and is currently an Associate Professor of Studio Art in the School of Art & Art History (SAAH) at the University of Denver. Since joining SAAH in 2002, she has developed and administered the foundational art curriculum for the School, has taught a variety of Studio Art courses from the beginning to advanced level, as well as upper level Seminar courses like “Professional Practice” and “Bad Girls, Riot Grrrls and Misbehaving Women.”

Her own work has explored American expectations of “womanhood” and the personal and social potency of nostalgia and longing. By exploiting the associations we have with everyday objects and materials, her works take a variety of forms in direct relation to their subjects. From liquid makeup to inflatables and cast objects, aspects of comfort, longing, familiarity and memory are triggered by a conceptual approach that embraces a variety of media: sculpture, installation, video, printmaking and photography.

The work featured here is part of a two-year grant funded project called “Human Imprint” that investigates the history, artifacts and role of women at historic mining and town sites in Colorado. Monoprints and photographs from the project are on view at the Historic Park County Courthouse in Fairplay, Colorado through November 11, 2017.

Hilltop Tram House Overlooking the ValleyInkjet print of unaltered digital photograph, 24 x 36” mounted, 2017