Artist Statement

Abstracted: lost in thought; deeply engrossed or preoccupied. To be lost in thought is a notion that everyone has experienced. However, the feeling can be quite contrasting from person to person. Drifting off into personal thoughts can be a positive or negative experience.

The pieces I created are illustrations of my personal feelings and different emotional states. Though they explore my personal thoughts, they can be related to anyone's feelings. My work explores the relationship between deliberate and unconscious cognition. Through many different techniques I am representing the structure in my thinking as well as the chaos. Each piece has an underlying form and is juxtaposed with elements that break or distort that form. The works explore the various ways my mind can be consumed with personal thoughts; from daydreaming about future goals or alternate realities, to persistent negative thinking. There are varying degrees of transparency throughout the collection, highlighting the necessity for more transparency with emotional states and mental health.

Bio

Bethany Dittmar was born in Lewisburg Pennsylvania and has a BFA in Fibers from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work centers around the theme of anxiety and mental health. This includes both functional and fine art pieces. Bethany has specialized in working with monofilament and other translucent materials. Her interests go beyond art into the scientific field, and many of her pieces start with research of psychology and sociology. Bethany has exhibited multiple works at SCAD Fibers Open Studio.