Lisa Merida Paytes

24 Fish Tales
Lisa Merida Paytes

My father’s taxidermist / slaughterhouse business was an overwhelming environment with powerful images of hanging carcasses of deer, piles of sawed off animal feet and freezers full of animal hides.  These images presented a lack of empathy for life to me as a child.  My work is concerned with the wonder of origin and amending society’s exploitation and waste.  My father’s vocation was straightforward; permanent displays that are frozen in time.  My objective is to conjure the past, present and future in order to invoke the contemplation of our existence.  In order to achieve my objective, I attempt to expose the unseen core, the essential structure of skeletal or embryonic animal references.  I find these references provocative and they offer me an opportunity to understand our own growth and decay. The intent of my work is to evoke the animal spirit that was once destroyed and to make amends for the discord and waste.  Uncovering the strength and beauty in frailty, I hope to leave viewers with a greater appreciation and respect for all life.

Artist's Website: www.lisameridapaytes.com
Email: lisa@lisameridapaytes.com

All work copyright © 2009 by the artist