CARIN SANKUS
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                     Artist Statement

                                                 
I make paintings that combine formalist elements with imperfect compositions. The painting are made of a variety of materials, ceramic, plexi, resin and epoxy or most prominent. The awkward arrangement of parts references provisional painting by creating a feeling of incompleteness within each composition. Each piece rejects the idea of beauty and instead values a sense of “freshness”. I draw upon the initial questioning of tangibility to lead to a deeper dialog regarding historical and contemporary roles of pottery, painting and the field of ceramics.
 
Within each painting, I consider the individual parts, where every element represents an action; a push or a roll, a squeeze or press. These actions all have intention, some express a strength or directness, some feel accidental. The forms and shapes I create are representative of the many ways clay can be manipulated. Bare fired terracotta and shiny glazed surfaces reference the history of functional ceramics.
 
The awkward compositions act as a catalyst to engage the imagination in a “what if” rearranging of parts. The non-objective nature of each piece evokes a sense of playful curiosity through color, form, texture and rhythm.
 
Each piece combines ceramic materials to create a layering of movement, space and color that introduces both physical and visual depth to the work.  These layers could be read as two-dimensional paintings, but challenge this by interacting with the wall behind them via negative space, shadow and colored reflections.


© Carin Sankus 2020
  • Work
    • Works on Paper
  • About
    • Statement
  • Teaching
  • Contact
  • News