john bergmeier

My current work continues the interest that I have in depicting my perceptions of a person's physical and spiritual life.  In reality, the root of all of these current works can be traced back to a Christian Iconography class that I took at Wichita State University.  That and 8 years of Sunday School at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beatrice, Nebraska.

I am interested in the decisions that individuals make in their lives, the intertwining of so-called coincidences and the selective road that we all have to travel.  This "road" is depicted by the symbolic icons left behind:  images from old children's books, photographic images of family, various farm tools, etc.  Found objects, Bible passages and stories and these old photographs serve as a catalyst, stimulating my imagination, memory and emotions.  Often eclectic and personal, these applied images are layered in meaning and personal poetry.

My artwork is generally a result of working intuitively with these various symbolic images and materials.  I wish to represent and portray a mix of Biblical subject matter and religious themes, to create memorials that serve to remind us of the importance of living and the certainty of death.  I am increasingly becoming more confident and daring in expressing my Christian faith through my art.  That and to touch the emotions of people with my art, is what I strive for.