MONICA PETTY AIELLO - Artist & Educator
"Though we don't often give it much thought, art has been locked in a love-clutch with science since the first caveman picked up a cinder and used it to draw on a wall. And while a lot of that has to do with things like chemical reactions, makeup of mediums and even the speed of light, there's also an infusion of scientific study and thought that orbits around the work of making art. Leonardo Da Vinci did it, and in modern times, so does Denver painter Monica Aiello, who's known for her works inspired by the beautiful topography of distant planets distilled from NASA images."
Susan Froyd, Westword Magazine
ARTIST STATEMENT
Painting is my exploration - a journey through processes, themes and materials. Largely inspired by science, my work addresses celestial and geological forms while comparing their relationship to our own origins and evolution. At first glance, my work may appear to be purely abstract. However, upon closer inspection, one finds depictions of specific, scientific subjects - planets, galaxies, biological forms, chemical reactions and mathematics structures. From the diverse geology of Jupiter’s moons, to our own fragile planet Earth, I strive to capture the wonders of the natural world in paint.
Planetary scientists often reference the need to study the cosmos in order to gain a better understanding of ourselves. I also ponder exploration and the unknown in reference to our own humanity. In preparation for my work, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with NASA and the scientific community. My curiosity manifests itself in both my artwork and my role as a STEAM educator. I love to devour and share scientific knowledge - astronomy, geology, volcanology, climatology, biology, botany, etc. Visually, I am captivated by the commonality of forms within our universe - shapes which seem as easily viewable beneath a microscope as through a telescope. These universal forms (which I term Cosmorphology), form a visual vocabulary which repeats throughout my work.
For 20 years, I have primarily explored our solar system through paint, from the Galilean Satellites to the Colorado River. My work is highly sculptural, meticulously built with layer upon layer of mixed-media, placed like strata to interpret scientific content and geological forms. However, in 2020, I took a pause to pursue a new body of work during the COVID-19 crisis. The Sabbatical Series, explores the ubiquitous mandala form through highly-constructed watermedia and paper collage. The series is meant to reflect upon the duality of experience which challenged us globally during the pandemic. Chaos vs. order, isolation vs. community, expansion vs. contraction, propagation vs. containment, science vs. faith, division vs. unity, expression vs. reflection. Admittedly. my new work is a bit of a departure. It is more personal, philosophical in nature. Yet, the series still encompasses my love of meticulous processes, big questions and constructed forms.