Location: Unknown
Born in rural Michigan, Marie Bergstedt was the first in her family to attain a high school degree. Completing a Bachelor of Arts in education was both a practical life
support decision and a celebration of the American education dream. In all the years since receiving that college diploma, she has dedicated herself to obtaining what she really wanted, a formal education in visual art, usually after work hours, but for a couple of years, full time.
In the 70s and 80s Marie moved to California and exhibited large-scale hand-
colored photographs, most of them related to childhood memories. Her photography was selected for more than 30 juried exhibitions, three that toured. She was featured in invitational exhibitions at Coos Bay Art Museum, Oregon; Reed Whipple Cultural Center, Las Vegas; Vicksburg Historical Center, Michigan; and Orange Coast College, California; including purchase awards for six pieces.
Marie continued her studies and art practice while serving as a fund development professional in non-profit organizations. During this time she transitioned to fiber art.
Now, returned to full-time art, Marie has combined the conceptual roots of her
photographic images with her fiber and design skills. Since 2008, her sculptural work has appeared in 26 juried exhibitions and received six awards, including an invitation from Kennedy Publishing for their 10th anniversary online Collector's Edition of "extraordinary" artists. In 2010 and 2011 four publishers have selected her sculpture for inclusion in their art books.
With my current work I am reconstructing memories from my childhood. I
build sculptures using deconstructed, torn, and degenerating antique pieces combined with new fiber, wire, and button work. The old and new unite to interpret the past in a contemporary art form. My pieces often convey a visual/mental dissonance which has been a fundamental element of my life experience. I believe my artwork is most successful when this discord evokes viewers to revisit their own history and prevailing impressions of what they have encountered or witnessed.
"Triker" recalls my life as a young child. I was often posed before a camera as perfect, but actually had no stability. Pushing the tricycle pedals was my expression of power.
Dressed up and powerful in her handmade finery, my grandmother is "Getting On," fading our ot life and into memory.
One telephone from an installation series of 7, in honor of my foster mother, who took great joy and received the power she needed to master life's challenges through communication on the telephone.
“ Triker”
“ Sister Vicki”
“ The Happiest Christmas Typewriter”
“ Self Portrait on the Happiest Christmas”
“ Getting On”
“ Clara's First Phone 1907”
“ Dressing for a Delicate Condition”
