My journey in art has been a psychological and spiritual exploration, It has taken me externally to the Louisiana backcountry, the Italian countryside, to mother Ganges in India and to the hills of Nepal and Bhutan. Internally it has led me to explore struggles with my mother, reptile phobias and enchanted dream states. As I peel back the layers of each new subject of interest, I peel back layers of my psyche and soul and transmute them into aesthetics in which I revel.
At each stage I am called to explore new media. First the fluid world of watercolor helped me loosen images that emerged from both subject and unconscious. When two dimensions would not hold the images I created installations inhabited with images from my half awakened state. Then I cycled back to a realm between two dimensions and three dimensions with hand painted folded paper and mixed media. Most recently the mutable images available through monotypes called me to explore variations on spiritual scenes from the images I brought back from the East.
I have made it my practice to convert my studio into a gallery every year or two to share the body of work that emerged from each of these explorations. I have always been gratified by the large numbers of pieces that left my studio to reside in others’ homes and psyches.
The journey continues. Where will it lead me next year? The only thing that is certain is that it will lead me to deeper levels of exploration and innovation with the materials best suited for that exploration. I invite you to share a piece of this journey with me.
Carolyn Roth