Stitching Lines and Skitching Rides

with Alexis Mabry

We caught up with Alexis Mabry who combines sewing machines and sculpture to record scenes of memory. She pulls objects of the past into the present to navigate mainstream conceptual systems within society. Her painted low-reliefs hold your brain snug with the nostalgia of a hardcore teddy bear patched to perfection inside a gate and cement-scribbled town.

Casey: What about your early life informed how you craft your visual language?

Alexis: Coming from the 90's I am steeped in MTV culture, I’ve been really inspired by the cartoons of that era as well, Beavis & Butthead, Ren & Stimpy, etc. I was always into skateboarding and BMX, I loved watching the X-games back in the day.

I had a lot of "goth" friends when I was young. Though I don't think I was goth necessarily, I liked being around them, I found it all fascinating and always thought they got a bad rep. I was in high school when the Columbine shooting happened. After that happened, I witnessed goth kids I knew get brutally bullied and basically exiled, even furthering their hatred society. It was a very vicious cycle, and I think about them often, even today. I am obsessed with the Black Metal genre. Just all of it, from the music to the corpse paint and outfits, to the weird band photo shoots in a snowy forest. I love it. I used to write graffiti, I have a deep love with that culture. I am born and raised Texan, although I never felt very "Texan" coming from a large city, so I like to think about that a lot. Having lived in other states, there is a certain expectation about Texans that always blows my mind. Like, if you're a Texan, then where's your cowboy hat?

Casey: Any particular Artists?

Alexis:

Claes Oldenburg has got to be first on my list. Like Oldenburg, I love the everyday objects we find in our environments.

Tschabalala Self is probably my very favorite artist right now, her use of fabric is genius, her figurative language is profound.

Pat Philips, for his story telling through symbolic imagery from his experiences and society.

Casey: I resonated with your discussion of the ‘male dominated’ trends within Skate Boarding and BMX culture — how did this perspective develop for you?

Alexis:

This is always an interesting topic to me that I think about A LOT. I can only speak to my personal experiences and feelings in BMX, but I think it resonates with other communities and genres. I love BMX. I started riding later in life, but once I started I couldn't stop. BMX is something that very quickly became engrained into my world. I gained an awesome new family. Now, it's true, that new family is a pretty big sausage party. It is mostly men, and that's fine, most of my favorite people and biggest supporters are guys, so I didn't really think anything of it. It's only when I got a little more into the sport, moved to Austin, and met a group of other women who ride, that all of the sudden, I went from feeling like a "BMXer" to being a "GIRL BMXer", as we were all somewhat put in that category, and I didn't like that as much. I have never considered myself as a "girl" in anything I have done, and being labelled a "girl" anything is really divisive to me. It made me feel like the "other". But on the other hand, I should be proud to be a woman-something, right? Granted, in competition, you have a mens category and a women's, but even then, there are certain entities that still do not recognize women's BMX as a viable sport. These experiences have really stirred up conversations within myself, and with others, questions about feminism, about gender equality, what it means to be a woman in a male dominated activity, what does it mean to be an artist who is a woman, or just what it means to be a woman! So when I make work about BMX I think of all of these things, and really try to answer to those questions through the work. It is also a celebration, I would like to shine a light on this subculture of a subculture as much as I can. And it’s really two great passions of mine (art and BMX) coming together on one surface, which is, in itself, really rewarding and fun.

Casey: Would you consider your work social realism, and what genres would you relate it to?

Alexis: I just learned this term, which I really enjoy; Contemporary Faux Naif. I strive as an artist is to feel more than to think, which is hard for me since I think so much, I’m always trying to find that balance. I do try and connect with that kind of child-like naiveté to get those ideas out more expressively—I often dive backwards into my life experiences, as a form of abstract expressionism. I think my work is a little more narrative driven with real life commentary throughout, so yes, I would lean more toward social realism, especially with the sculptures I do.

Casey: What drew you toward soft sculpture?

Alexis: I got really into quilting, so using sheets and blankets made it easier to make paintings, or painted quilts, that were extremely inexpensive, and very large. I love working super large, and having work that's large but easily transportable is a huge plus. The soft sculptures were kind of born from my using fabric for my paintings. The sewing machine gives the paintings on the fabric a sort of relief sculpture type feel, so I thought, what if I just took these paintings into the third dimension-thus I made my first soft sculpture, which was actually a replica of my BMX bike! I fell in love with the building aspect of the sculptures so I just kept it going, it's just super fun for me. A lot of the objects I make as soft sculptures I have a personal relationship with. Whether it be a traffic cone or a beer, I make the things I see in my environments that remind me of a certain time or place. And these objects often resonate with a lot of other people, so in that, we've kind of unknowingly shared a similar experience, and I like that idea.

Casey: It seems like you’re always producing new work, how do you keep so consistently creative?

Alexis: I have a pretty impulsive nature, I'm defiantly a busy body. I feel like if I stop, I die, like a shark. I am constantly looking at other artists work, watching cool artist documentaries, and reading about art, so I feel constantly inspired and curious. I am always trying new mediums, or re-learning mediums Ive used before. I’m in a state of constant trial and error, always trying to find myself through the work. My mind is all over the place with ideas and I give it my best shot to try them all out! Even though, a lot of the ideas are not even worth the time and effort, but that's how I learn. I do think sometimes I tend to make so much to overcompensate for a lack of personal direction and that I need to edit down my ideas and be a little more patient. But then I say, "fuck it, let's just go!" and see where it takes me.

Casey: As artists living in the half cyber world, what considerations or responsibilities exist there?

Alexis: I think I take the same considerations and responsibilities as I do in real life. All I can do is be me and express what I want to express, and be honest and true, and not be an asshole, and be supportive and nice to others. I do enjoy sharing posts from charities, organizations, and other friends and artists that I like and support—that would be the same whether I had 20 followers or 2 million. I think I have a responsibility to be myself.

Casey: Can you talk about the DIY (do-it-yourself) practice?

Alexis: I think DIY in art stems also from a Faux Naif idea. It’s using the things you have around you or the materials you buy/collect to make something from nothing, or to recycle something into something else. It's naive in that, you may get instruction, direction, or inspiration from outside sources, but you don't have to be super skilled in those arenas to make something for yourself for fun! I find DIY fun ‘cause it involves problem-solving. When you don't have much, and art supplies are out of your budget, you figure out how to build and create what you want. The whole concept for me has a very punk rock, anti-establishment sort of feel which can be very fulfilling for an artist!

Casey: Are the groups of people in your paintings from memory, imagination or metaphor?

Alexis: I don't know if it is a subconscious thing, but I tend to make groups of 3. In general, groups of 3 are usually when people get into trouble, or get into something crazy and fun. If you see 2 people in a car, they're just on a drive, if you see 3 people in a car, they're up to something. These paintings are from memories and personal experiences, so maybe there were 3 people, or maybe that's how I remember it. And they are all three — if I can fit in; memories, imagination, and metaphor. I also think about stereotypes as metaphor. I try to make them funny too, I love when the first reaction to my work is a little laugh, and then a deeper thought or connection.

Casey: What concepts have been orbiting your mind during quarantine?

Alexis: I have really been thinking a lot about travel ! It's been so long, there is still no end in sight as to when it will feel safe enough to travel to see friends and family. This pandemic has really thrown out all of my previous priorities and rearranged them. I just want to focus on being a person and figuring out what I want to do and how I can help people, either through art or teaching or just being a good support. I have been thinking a lot about my times traveling with the BMX company FBM. I only got to tag along a few times on their tours but those times were jam packed with craziness, stories, and the open road. It brings me a big sense of comfort and that will be, for sure, coming through in some future works!

Stay connected with Alexis Mabry’s @a.e.mabry and www.aemabry.com and keep an eye out for her future Show Never Ender Bender! with artist Sam Keller, at Martha's Contemporary in Austin, Texas.

Interview by Casey Alfstad