Denver artist Brenda Stumpf’s work conjures the mysterious and enchanted, inspired by mythology, mysticism, poetry, and ancient history.
Brenda Stumpf is a contemporary sculptor and painter. Mythology, mysticism, poetry, and ancient history are deep wells for Stumpf. While deconstructing her materials and recreating anew with the fragments, she takes an almost shamanistic approach—a potent act akin to the cycle of death and rebirth.
“These works are from the series For a Time They Took Pleasure There, the title of which comes from The Book of Poverty and Death by Rainer Maria Rilke. The lacerated and obscured figures and landscapes become less familial and more symbolic of memory, loss, loneliness, aging, and ultimately, death.
Whether creating sculpture, paintings, or works on paper, my urge is to make art that conjures the mysterious and enchanted—to dive into the dark and hide in the secretive. I’m often feeling my way towards something that seems deep, ancient, and timeless by way of the abstract and symbolic.
My work has referenced female historic and mythic figures such as Pandora, Seshat, the Black Madonna, Hatshepsut, the victims of Jack the Ripper, and the women of the Inquisitions. I have delved into my personal history, playing with nostalgia and memory, and I continue to be inspired by the works of composer Arvo Pärt and the poetry of Pablo Neruda and Rilke.”
Stumpf’s paintings, sculptures, and works on paper have been exhibited in numerous exhibitions, including the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Butler Institute of American Art, Littleton Museum, Strohl Art Center, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and Outsider Art Fair. Her art resides in private collections throughout the United States and abroad.
Denver, CO | brendastumpf.com | @brenda_stumpf
Sager Braudis Gallery, Columbia, MO
