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Monmouth, IL – A new art exhibit in western Illinois examines the distractions that can get in the way of creativity.
The oil paintings, sketches, and sculptures were created by Erik Ohrn. His exhibit, The Itch Becomes a Wound and I Get More Lost in My Room, can be seen at the Buchanan Center for the Arts in Monmouth.
One of the sculptures is called Sandbox. It's a gutted television spray painted in vibrant colors. Sand pours out of it. Scattered about are light bulbs, which Ohrn said he was drawn to because of their simplicity and fragility. The light bulbs are painted in a black matte finish.
"The black references the death of creativity, our minds. The television references the rapid growth of technology and the possible negative effects on our emotional state," Ohrn said.
While Sandbox comments on the distractions caused by technology, Ohrn said the entire exhibit comments on distractions in general -- anything that gets in the way of creativity and doing the things you really want to do.
Ohrn said all the pieces in the exhibit work together. They can be viewed individually but he thinks they are more powerful when seen together.
Ohrn grew up in Moline and now lives in the Chicago area. He said he took about a year off from painting before the move reinvigorated him
"It being a new experience, a new place, I think I'm back into it and I feel very good about the direction of my work," Ohrn said.
He wants the work to be driven by his emotional state. Ohrn believes the way he is feeling on a given day influences his work.
"I think that shows through brush work. I think there are a lot of different approaches to a painting and you see that through the history, the process," Ohrn said.
The exhibit will remain on display at the Buchanan Center through January 27.