Weaving the body onto a canvas: Erin Bundock makes art about the human body

Erin Bundock, a Winooski-based artist. Photo by Caleb Nelson.

When you walk into Erin Bundock's spacious studio, you get an artsy feeling. On one side of the room, there is a desk with scattered papers where Bundock, 24, comes up with ideas for her next project. Colorful abstract paintings hanging on the wall in front of her replicate the human body. On the far end of the room, there is a place where the artist does photography with a black cloth background. A medium-sized cardboard box sits under her desk, filled with black and white photography photos Bundock has taken in the past.

“I kind of make art inspired by the cross-section of science and large-scale installation work,” Bundock explained. She has been influenced by both her mother, who is the Chief Medical Examiner for Vermont and her father, who works in scenic design. She showed me black and white close-up photos of her mom cutting brains into a patty-like form.

Why do you love art so much?

Art is a really good way for me to put a lens on the world. It can be another form of research. I spend a lot of time processing emotions or current events. I do a lot of stuff on reproductive liberty. Just like a visual investigation, it can connect with people on a really deep level, and it’s an interesting avenue for starting conversations. I have always been surrounded by art, so it's always been super important to me. I grew up going with my dad to sets. He would have my little brother and me paint in a little corner. My grandfather was a Marine artist. He has a couple model boats in the Smithsonian. And my other grandma was a crafter. I think it's an important way for connecting people, and grounding myself.

What does art do for you?

When I am doing large scale pieces that is when I am super in the zone, cause it's very spacial. I play a lot of music because that is a huge part of getting in the zone, and that totally varies depending on what I am working on. But it's nice coming to the studio, it's a collective space but is pretty quiet. It's like solving a puzzle, just sitting down and getting sucked into figuring out what's working and what's not working.

 What is your favorite art piece? And why does that piece stick out to you the most?

The turning point in my art practice was my first big art piece that I completed for my thesis senior year called “Cycle Ten”. That was the culmination of printmaking, sewing, and research. It's all recycled material, hand printed textiles, and that piece was the beginning of my investigation into reproductive health. The textiles in that were based on histology which is cellular structures, and talking about birth control, and understanding your body. That was the first large scale fabric portrait that I had made.

Do you like bigger projects or smaller projects?

I think I am a big project thinker; I tend to have a lot of big projects going but in totally different directions. I think they feed off of other, smaller paintings, but they're part of a longer-form project.

What does your art offer to the Winooski area?

I would like to think that my art is different from the art in the area. I really like working with small businesses and commissions that way. The people that are usually interested in my art are people of the age of 17 to 25. I totally know the feeling of wanting to acquire art but not having the money to do that. So, while I’m trying to grow and make more money off of my art, I try my best to keep my cost down and have people come in. I really want to be as approachable as possible, I don't want to seem like some weird artist.

Caleb Nelson, a sophomore at Saint Michael's College, is majoring in Media Studies, Journalism, and Digital Arts.)