Giselle Sterling Futrell (b. 1981) is an interdisciplinary artist and graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a concentration in creative writing along with a studies in studio art. She earned her Masters of Art in Art Education through the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her practice explores themes of identity, citizenship and the role of art as social action through arts-based community programs. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the National Veterans Art Museum.
Artist Statement
My artistic practice sits at the intersection of language and imagery, where words become the foundation upon which visual narratives are built. As an interdisciplinary artist, I explore the fluid boundaries between text and visual representation, creating work that examines the complex interplay of memory, identity, and historical context.
Having learned English as my second language, I developed an early fascination with communication that transcends conventional boundaries. This linguistic journey instilled in me an obsession with the power of words and images to convey meaning, particularly when they exist in conversation with one another. The subtle nuances of translation—what is preserved, what is lost, what is transformed—continue to influence my creative process.
Through mixed media approaches, I construct layered narratives that weave together the personal and collective. My work often incorporates elements of surrealism, deliberately juxtaposing the ordinary with the extraordinary to reveal new perspectives before returning viewers to a transformed sense of the familiar. This oscillation creates a space where mundane moments can reveal profound truths about our shared human experience.
As the first U.S.-born citizen in my family, I inhabit a unique position between worlds. My artistic practice draws deeply from stories of migration passed down through generations, examining the feminist perspective within these narratives of displacement, resilience, and rebirth. I am particularly interested in how cultural inheritance shapes identity and how personal histories intersect with broader social movements.
My work aims to surprise viewers by challenging expectations, to inform through thoughtful engagement with complex themes, and ultimately to encourage a perpetual state of curiosity.