Self-taught artist Wendy Sittner , based in Washington, DC, has a clinical background in social work and she has adopted the visual arts as a means for effecting social change. When creating her monoprints and photolithographs, Sittner wanted to bring awareness to victims and survivors of abuse such as bullying that is sometimes so damaging it leads to suicide. Her work depicts insects and the protection provided by the exoskeleton as a metaphor for the resilience needed when people interact with their natural and social environments. While insects often repel people, Sittner incorporates bright colors to attract the viewer, eliciting ambivalence and reflection upon one’s own attitudes and beliefs towards the subject. Her work exposes viewers to a spectrum, ranging from bright revelations to dark introspection.
