Woman Crush Wednesday: Alanna Fields
Come To My Garden
2021
Archival Pigment Print and encaustic on wood panel. 50x40 in.
Images & Words by Alanna Fields
Interviewed & Photo Edited by Athena Abdien
What inspires you, both as a mixed-media artist and archivist?
I am inspired by things that feel familiar, that I have a sense of connection or lineage to. Those things guide my inspiration as an artist and archivist.
Can you describe the way(s) in which you source the archival material(s) featured in your work?
I primarily source my archival photographs and materials from eBay, as well as flea markets, estate sales, institutional archives, and very generous donations from a few special people.
Close Your Eyes and Remember
2021
Archival Pigment Print and encaustic on wood panel. 50x40 in.
How did the process of creating images for Mirages of Dreams Past, and putting together your first solo exhibition come to be?
For Mirages of Dreams Past, I sourced images for 2 years focusing primarily on 1960s and 1970s Black American vernacular photography. In my search I looked for images that portrayed black queer people in leisure, at rest, in intimate poses and in nature. I wanted to create a Black queer dream space, that felt as hazy as memory can be and as dreamy as a mirage.
Kiss My Petals and Weave Me Through a Dream
2021
Archival Pigment Print and encaustic on wood panel. 30x30 in.
If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?
And introductory course on building archives using found materials.
Fireflies We Make Bright As Stars
2021
Archival Pigment Print and encaustic on wood panel. 30x30 in.
What is the last book you read or film you saw that resonated with you?
In the Wake: On Blackness and Being by Christina Sharpe.
Thrill Me With Your Magic
2021
Archival Pigment Print and encaustic on wood panel. 36x24 in.
Describe your creative process in one word.
Surrender.
Canyons Beyond Time
2021
Archival Pigment Print and encaustic on plexiglas. 30x40 in.
What is the most played song in your music library?
Blue Nile by Alice Coltrane.
How do you take your coffee?
Black.
You can find more of Alanna’s work here.
