Cecilia Welden

Change is happening all around us.  Physical change we see visibly, subtle change that occurs within our hearts and minds, and political change that shape our livelihoods and future.

The historical implications of a building and architecture, function and history are evolving stories with a rich past.  Who was it made for? What was its original function and what is it used for now?  Has it fallen from its former glory due to change in manufacturing/trading demands or has it become a celebrated icon harkening back to a time splendor and pride. Do all people see it in that way?   These questions inspire me to develop images that question how time and history affects the way we see a building, how it is used and why.

I have chosen to “draw” the images of buildings with patina on 24” square by 1 ½” deep copper pans constructed by sheet metal fabricators in the heating and plumbing industry.  Using ammonia, vinegar, lemon juice, red wine and San Francisco rain, I achieve a dark wash on the copper and then polish subtractively to form the shape of the building. The copper reacts with the different acids unpredictably making it an appropriate medium when delving into the subject of time and history