Marcie Wolf-Hubbard upcycled approximately 15 kitchen cabinet doors as a base for her mixed media paintings she will be showing at this year’s Artomatic. Revolving around a so-called “mouse saga” (Hubbard describes it as a desperate woman going to great lengths to rid her house of mice), the series ends with her flashback to 1983 from her journal documenting her first unintentional mousetrap. This is Hubbard’s fourth year as an Artomatic artist and she is also a teaching artist, conducting artist residencies in schools where she used cabinet doors with her students as well.

How do you feel about taking part in the 10th Anniversary of Artomatic? “I’m excited to be participating in Artomatic 2009. My first year in Artomatic was 2004 and it was easy to see how being a participant would help me stay current with local artists, as we frequently are ‘operating’ alone. I work out of my home studio and have to venture out to meet with other artists (with the exception of my husband, David Hubbard, who is a sculptor).

Artomatic is really a great opportunity to network with other artists, share my art and be able to ‘put it out there.’  I have seen the number of participating artists grow. One thousand artists in one building is pretty incredible. The volunteer shifts provide a way for us to meet artists who have been practicing their art for years as well as the “fresh, young blood” artists.

When I first set out to the building to paint my wall, I walked out of the Navy Yard metro and felt like I was in another city. With this new location, at Capital Riverfront, we (as artists in Artomatic) are helping to introduce people to this new, developing community.”

Why should an Artomatic visitor make the special trip to visit your space? “I think that others will perhaps find humor in my personal experience and may relate to this unfortunate experience. In the paintings and writing, I refer to my ‘Mouse Patrol Team.’ These were people I would call on for support. (I caught one, I found ______, they’re back, should I try ______?) It does sound crazy, but you really can’t talk to just anyone about a rodent problem. Although I’ve ignored that by choosing to exhibit this account for thousands of people to see.

In my description, I called myself ‘desperate,’ and when you’re desperate, you try to resolve the problem, and I had sought out all kinds of ways.  I’m also asking for others to write their’mouse and/or rat tales,’ because it is good to know that you’re not the only one who has had ‘a problem’ with rodents.”

Where can we see your work next? I have more episodes/adventures to write about (not all unfortunate.) Maybe I’ll continue this, after all, it is just one chapter.

In Artomatic 2008 I exhibited my paintings I created on tar paper and I have more that I would like to show, but did not include these with mousetrapped. At the present time, I do not have a location, but do intend to show more of the tar paper paintings. These include paintings I’ve done of my husband’s metalwork/sculpture of his Monument series.  I am drawing and painting these structures — finding the geometry, seeing the lines, and planes of his forms and the organic environment creating its presence.”

You can see Marcie Wolf-Hubbard’s work on the 7th Floor in C-1 located in Area 3.