Caryn Martin

Artist Statement

 

In my multidisciplinary art practice, I use the ever-changing atmospheric conditions of landscape as a metaphor for the shifting nature of human emotion, while also reflecting on the precarious, tenuous state of the environment.
 

My materials and processes, often fragile and provisional, allow me to bring form to the intangible. Monotype printmaking is at the core of my recent work; as I begin my process, a plexiglass plate is inked once, using marks that imply patterns and forms found in nature. I then add water in multiple stages and pull many prints until the ink is fully removed from the plate. The paper is allowed to curve, curl, wrinkle, and warp as it responds to the water and ink.

At the start of 2020, I began experimenting with installations that appear to push off the wall. The large-scale compilations of monotypes shift between intention and improvisation as I construct layered, atmospheric wall pieces. These works are contained but also break the traditional frame; they feel both unified and divided, heavy yet light.

 

This interest in dualities has driven my most recent work, inspired by the contrasting weather patterns and water levels across the United States. Images of forest fires, storms, and flooding have influenced new works such as "Falls to Flames" and "Mist to Ash."
 

Water, used as subject, medium, and change agent, is an important element of my studio practice. Whether working on panel or with the wall as my surface, I continue to explore the unpredictability of our environment, while using materials that reflect the fragility of our natural world.