Lorrie Fredette finds Lyme disease beautiful.
Walk into UT’s Downtown Gallery and find yourself face to face with a large sculpture of white, spirochete shapes – otherwise known as Lyme disease.
Fredette found her niche in the art world creating beauty from infectious diseases, plague and contemporary health issues. Her inspiration came from the New York Times science section, where she was immediately drawn to the intriguing and alien portrayal of disease and other microscopic images.
“The language was truly foreign to me,” Fredette said. “My background in the sciences and in biology in particular is quite limited. I’m interested in what I don’t know.”
Fredette pursued initial this interest and has become proficient in the visual display of microbes and bacteria. Her starting point is always the original molecular imagery, but then the art takes on a form of it’s own as the image is expanded to a larger size.
“The way I present the work is very approachable,” Fredette said. “There’s nothing dangerous or shocking when looking at my work.”
That being said, according to Fredette most visitors who engage her art are unaware of it’s original inspiration. She estimated only 10% may know of a sculpture’s pathogenic origins, and those select few found out by word of mouth, her website or writing on her work.
Mike Berry, studio manager of UT’s downtown gallery, was one of those initially unaware viewers of Fredette’s work. His first impression of her work brought to mind images of bubbles and foam, but when he found out the more morbid source of the art, Berry wasn’t surprised.
“I was like ‘Oh yes that makes total sense,’ and it adds another layer to it all and a much deeper meaning,” Berry said.
Also on display in the back of the gallery are two series of drawings by Fredette. The first, called “Battlelines,” is based off of scar portraits. The second series, “Proper Limits,” is an extension of the sculpture work in the front centered around Lyme disease.
In addition to displaying her work in UT’s gallery during October, Fredette also gave a lecture on campus earlier this month. Unlike many guest speakers, Fredette focused the lecture more on the students’ future careers than on her own.
She spoke on three main points: her start as an artist, her transitional work and then practical concerns for young artists. These practical concerns include how to write for a grant, look for a residency, put a package together and meet key people in the arts.
Berry agreed with Fredette on the need for more post-collegiate career training in the arts.
“If your going to be in the business of art making (and yes it is a commodity you are producing), contrary to popular belief, it’s a business and you need more than technical skills; you need wise, practical art business skills,” Berry said.
Overall, Fredette hopes that young artists will take note of her work while keeping in mind where she started.
“I think its important to know that the majority of us after we leave college aren’t stepping into this A+ career,” Fredette said. “It takes a lifetime.”
