Isaac Powell Pullman, Washington Grand Prize $20,000 Age 25

“In this body of work I have begun to move away from confrontational personal imagery (such as my prosthetic arm) to a more universal icon (such as botanical imagery) to symbolize the idea of imperfection, growth, and dissimilarity in people.”

Isaac Powell’s artistic awakening happened in 1999 under the direction of professor Gary Frields. Frields encouraged his students to challenge limitations without any predetermined assignments. Powell relays, “Giving myself permission to release my self-imposed artistic limitations has opened doors in my creative process.” His mixed media approach evolved from this questioning, employing a box format on Birch plywood to invade the viewer’s space. He then tackles the surface with acrylic, graphite, and ink. Powell, who has never actually worn his prosthetic, uses the interaction of imagery and surface texture to transmit what he calls a “sense tension.” Within his pieces, he explores the emotions associated from being born without a right forearm, and brings the prosthetic into the work as a design component. A new series is more subtle, shifting from a more overt to subtle use of iconography. The piece Growthplate is about Powell’s ideas of human growth. “The title is personal to me because my right arm was damaged in the womb. One flower grows tall, but the others are just as beautiful, regardless of their height. No matter what the circumstance the flower still survives and blooms.”

Influential Art Teachers/Professors:
Gary Frields, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas