Coils           Projects           Printmaking

Works

ART BY GARTH FRY 
Recent Works
Artist Statement

Garth Fry is a mixed media artist who creates works through a series of repetitious handmade processes. His methods of creation exemplify labor-intensive practices and embody aspects of physical endurance. These efforts are paramount to his practice and are used to instill action within his pieces to preserve performance
in time and space. His creations are investigations of his relationship to materials, the temperament of meditation though process, and the generation of language through creative residue.

The materials used by Fry are often excavated or retrieved found objects. His most regularly used medium in his current work is reclaimed wood. This salvaged material creates an intriguing mystery because its exact history is unknown.The marred, discolored surfaces found throughout these repurposed material possess an alluring quality. They reflect a previous life and display a record of time. His extensive manipulation of these materials is intended to reveal the gaps between technological progress and the timeless quality of the handmade.

He often uses a rigid printmaking paper to further demonstrate time and action. The paper allows Fry to explore his practice as a printmaker. The combination of these materials creates a unique and compelling visual experience.

Fry chooses to manipulate his materials with tools that demonstrate the hand and its seemly predictable nature. The tools he uses are as simple as the hammer, chisel, saw, stapler, paint, mop or sledgehammer. Fry is conscious of his body and the activation of materials while using these tools. Through process the tools reflect force and display aggression while promoting the delicate nature of the hand. This is evident through the crafted edges of Fry’s work. The dovetails reveal a structured sensibility, a coming together, while the fractured edges evoke a brokenness or loss. Regardless of the breaks displayed throughout Fry’s structures they are able to withstand the forces of gravity.

The objects and prints Fry creates are typically arranged precariously in space to challenge the natural force of gravity and test the element of time. In doing this he relies heavily on chance and flirts with notion of failure. His humble approach is haunting and ironic. 




Broken and Blue up top                                                                                      
2015
96 x 31.5 x 9"
Reclaimed Wood, found Object, Paint







Inside, Outside, Inside                                                                                        
2015
Size to come
Wood, Large formate digital Prints, Plexiglas, Paint






Questioning Systems                                                                                         
2015
107.5"X 10' X 19"
Reclaimed Wood, varnish






Chisel Log                                                                                         
2015
21"X 14' X 3'
Wood Block Print, Reclaimed Wood, Paper
Printed With 02 Toyota Tacoma







Salvaged Glory                                                                                         
2015
66 X 54.5 X 21"
Found Objects, Reclaimed Wood, Glue





Broken to Stand                                                               Front                              Back
2015
1' X 27" X 4"
Reclaimed Wood, Staples





Ornamental Struggle                                                                                            
2015
62 X 37 X .25"
Reclaimed Wood, Staples, Screws











set to Explode                                                                                            
2015
1' X 9.5" X 1'
Paper, GlueReclaimed Wood






Three Uneasy Emotions                                                                                           
2014
31.5 X 40 X 37"
Paper, Reclaimed Wood, Paint






Expressive Construct                                                                                              
2014
35 X 35 X 32"
Paper, Glue
, Paint






Self Portrait (Process Relief)                                                                                                
2014
30 X 31 X 6.5"
Paper, Glue, 
Nails, Paper Clips









Attempting Form                                                                                                 
2014
96 X 49.75 X 14"
Paper, Glue, 
Reclaimed Wood, Clamps, Pipe Supports







Coils 
Artist Statement

Garth Fry explores the psychology of isolation by creating shapes and forms that are void of applied

color. He investigates this concept through his use of raw, coiled paper and glue. The imagery he

creates derives from expressive formations, which upon inspection reveals a terrain of emotion that is

symbolized by a sea of hand crafted coils. Each coil is designed to represent the passing of time and

can be viewed as a statue of tension, a pillar of anxiety, a mark of guilt, a dot of frustration, or a roll

of regret. Visual tension is created through his use of light and shadows, further emphasizing refuge

and loss of identity.

Fry's current works expand into the three-dimensional realm as a result of the personal escape from
solitude. His paper coils are created in a meditative state that allows the exposure of hidden feelings
though a layer-by-layer process.





        
CYOA                                                                                                   (CYOA Detail)
2013
21.5 X 19.5"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core

Water Color, Varnish






          
Temperament                                                                                    (Temperament Detail)      
Garth Fry, Dan Gray & Peter Krsko
2013
Honfleur Gallery
Washington DC
45 X 64 X 16"
Paper, Glue, Steel, Ripped Wood, Bicycle Frame



 

                   
Ghost Skate                                                                                       (Ghost Skate Detail)
2013
32 x 10 x 11"
Paper, Glue, Recycled Skateboard





                  
Wallflower                                                                                           (Wallflower Detail)
2013

39 x 41 x 4"
Paper, Glue





               
If                                                                                                    (If Detail)
2013

26 x 26 x 4"
Paper, Glue





    
A Deeper Look Inside                                                                     (A Deeper Look Inside Detail)
2013

31.75 x 40 x 18.5"
Found Objects, Lighting Material, Peep Hole,
Paper, Glue, Varnish






        
Cascading Emotions Installation                                        (Cascading Emotions Installation Detail)
2013
Hillery Art Space, Galley Nine
Washington DC
95 x 120 x 63"
Paper, Glue, Foam Core





 
Put It on The Shelf  
2013
46.5 x 56 x 12"
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood, Shelfing Mounts, 
Paint, Varnish
SOLD to Aaron Leslie 


 
Practicing Patience No.1, No.2 , and No.3 
2013
ø 15.5"
Paper, Glue
SOLD one of three





 
Reclamation Display No.1–19 
2013 
Hillery Art Space, Galley Nine
Washington DC
92 x 57"
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood




 
Reclamation No.1  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood


 
Reclamation No.2 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood




 
Reclamation No.3  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood
 





 
Reclamation No.4  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood

 
Reclamation No.5  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood





 
Reclamation No.6  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood


 
Reclamation No.7  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood
 

 
Reclamation No.8 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood






 
Reclamation No.9  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood





 
Reclamation No.10  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood


 
Reclamation No.11  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood






 
Reclamation No.12  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood
 

 
Reclamation No.13  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood





 
Reclamation No.14 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood

















Reclamation No.15 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood












Reclamation No.16 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood





 
Reclamation No.17  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood























Reclamation No.18  
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood
 






 
 
Reclamation No.19 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood

















Reclamation No.20 •
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood




 
 
Reclamation No.21 
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood






Reclamation No.22 •
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood
















 
Reclamation No.23
2013
Paper, Glue, Reclaimed Wood






              
Heart on Green                                                                                 (Heart on Green Detail)
2012
16 x 21"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,

Acrylic Paint, Graphite, Varnish




 
                   

Heart on Blue                                                                                         (Heart on Blue Detail)

2012
16 x 21"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,

Acrylic Paint, Graphite, Varnish






              
Heart on Dark Blue                                                                            (Heart on Dark Blue Detail)
2012
16 x 21"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Acrylic Paint, Graphite, Varnish





              
Heart on Pink                                                                                   (Heart on Pink Detail)
2012
16 x 21"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Acrylic Paint, Graphite, Varnish






             
Heart on Coffee •                                                                            (Heart on Coffee Detail)
2012
16 x 21"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Coffee, Graphite, Gesso, Varnish
SOLD to Amy Goldwasser







                
Crossroads                                                                                         (Crossroads Detail)
2012
32 x 42"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core, Varnish



 


                   
Haunted House •                                                                                     (Haunted House Detail)
2012
10 x 10"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish
SOLD to Chase W. Rynd






              
 
Gone for A Walk 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish







Glowing Star 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Watercolor, Varnish





 
Surfer 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish








Maze 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish





 
Skeleton 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Watercolor, Varnish








Spotted Heart 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core, 
Watercolor, Varnish
SOLD to Zoe Bennington





 
Stars 
2012
14 x 12"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core, Varnish
SOLD to H.K. Anne

















Cascading Emotions 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish


 



 
Sprig of Doubt 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish








Thoughts Collide 
2012
14 x 12"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish
















 
Memories 
2012
14 x 12"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish















Guys Got Heart 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish


 



 
Big Choice 
2012
12 x 14"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core, Varnish
SOLD to Elizabeth Grazioli







 Forecast: Gray and Overcast 
2012
14 x 12"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core,
Varnish













 
AK-47  
2012
38 x 16"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core, 
Varnish
SOLD to Nitin Gambhir   






                  
Heart                                                                                        (Heart Detail)
2012
43.5 x 54.5"
Paper, Glue, Acid Free Foam Core, Varnish






Black Cloud 
2007
16 x 20"
Paper, Glue, Foam Core, Varnish
SOLD to Elizabeth Minor

 



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Pro
jects 

Skate Your Fate, The Fridge Washington DC 2013

Sixty underground graffiti and street artists from across North and South America have been invited by DC’s ULTRA
to create artwork directly onto skateboard decks. The gallery walls were full of decks from well-known and emerging artists representing areas near and far.


Burnout Kicks 
2013

7.1 x 28.5"
Used Skateboard, Laser





(Burnout Kicks Detail)
DC Street Sticker Expo Participant, The Mini-Fridge Washington DC 2013
Over 500 artists represented in a 10,000 sticker artwork combo piece curated by DC’s I Will Not.

(Kicks Sticker Detail)




Art Collaboration, Washington DC 2013
Garth Fry and Peter Krsko
More info coming soon.



Sign and Paintings for Last Exit, Washington DC 2012
Artist Statement

Garth Fry, completed these works of art to coincide with the one year anniversary of the grand opening of Last Exit which is located in the heart of Washington DC's historic Mount Pleasant neighborhood.  Fry worked from photographs taken within the bar and surrounding community. The resulting imagery was then illustrated by Fry onto reclaimed wood using acrylic paint watercolors and coffee staining. The effect of using reclaimed wood and purposeful aging conveys a vintage feel which ties the artwork to the historic locality and to the rich history of craft cocktails that are served at the bar.















The painting shown above are on permanent display
at Last Exit.

Last Exit
3155 Mt. Pleasant Street, NW 
Mount Pleasant, DC 20010.  
www.lastexitdc.com


















Posters
Artist Statement

While a member at the Lee Arts Center, based in Arlington Virginia, Garth Fry began combining serigraphy with watercolors on coffee stained paper. He has used this process to illustrate and screen print posters for musical acts including: We Were Promised Jetpacks, Thee Lexington Arrows, and The 9 Songwriter Series in Washington, DC and New York City. The posters were then sold during the night of the advertised event.


Printmaking 
Continued ED
Artist Statement

While working as a Graphic Designer, Garth Fry maintained a membership at the Lee Arts Center, of Arlington VA, and continued his printmaking education via a screen printing class at the The Art League, in Alexandria VA. Through the program and use of both facilities, Fry was able to expand and experiment with his screen printing technique. It was then that he tailored his printing process of combining serigraphy with watercolors on coffee stained paper. This method of printing allows him to capture the image's authenticity while introducing a contemporary drawn and painted style. A majority of his images stem from vintage photographs that Fry has collected from flea markets and estate sales from across the US.

 


How Could I Forget Her 
2007
19 x 17"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee
SOLD to Rachel Eisley







Mabel
2006
7 x 5"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee



Remeber 9-11
2006
10.5 x 14.5"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee, Watercolor




Hand Feed In Captivity 
2007
16 x 17"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee
SOLD to Randall Scott



Those Guys and Their Flowers
2006
7 x 5"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee, Watercolor




Halloween Face
2006
7 x 6.5"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee, Watercolor




Transparent Friendship
2004
22.5 x 16"
Silk Screen Print

Black and Pink
2004
6 x 8"
Silk Screen Print



Alone I Did It
2006
19 x 11"
Silk Screen Print, Coffee, Watercolor



College ED
Artist Statement

Garth Fry was exposed to printmaking during his studies for his Graphic Design BFA at Longwood University. Concentrating in printmaking, Fry learned a number of print processes and used them to create a more modern stylized art. He also created a few additions of images which combined screen printing with black and white photo prints.



Pearly Whites
2002
10 x 8"
Silver Gelatin Print, Silk Screen Print





You Think Too Much
2002
8 x 6.5"
Wood Cut



Eye Hurt
2002
10 x 8"
Silver Gelatin Print, Silk Screen Print

Face Five Times
2002
52 x 16"
Linoleum Block



Cornered Blues
2001
6 x 8"
Zinc Plate Eching

Realized
2001
12 x 10"
Zinc Plate Eching