Artwork copyright Jennifer Stabler-Holland. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2020.

Splitting the Atom, 1990

Jennifer Stabler-Holland
American (born 1952)

Location: Post Middle School, Arlington

About the Artwork

Splitting the Atom is a painting by artist Jennifer Stabler-Holland. It is an example of her body of work that investigates the importance of ecological balance and the fragility of life. These works use natural imagery to express our responsibility to protect the environment. The composition features layered images that she has cut and reordered. She notes that this combination highlights “the symbolism of the conflict between man and nature… The tension caused by these placements illuminates the fine line that separates beauty and ugliness, power and vulnerability, terror and attraction, and life and death. The idea and the process become one.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Arlington Public Schools.

About the Artist

Jennifer Stabler-Holland is a Washington-based artist whose paintings and collage-works explore personal narratives, natural imagery, color, and form.