Cathy Sarkowsky

BIOGRAPHY

Art is the foundation of my life. I am a painter, a collector, a seeker of vivid expressions of humanity. I see curiosity as an impetus to go deeper creatively, to explore ideas and investigate meaning. Whether actively engaged in fine art as a professional passion or simply experiencing daily life as a maker, I’m inspired by the promise of creative freedom and fascinated by the process of surrender necessary to access that potential.

The dynamic tensions in life are a recurring theme in my work. The juxtaposing forces of vulnerability and strength, fragility and toughness, tenderness and rage are rich with untapped possibilities for insights into the human narrative. Rather than attempting to impose order by isolating these potent phenomena, I am inclined to immerse myself in the myriad ways they play together.

My artistic philosophy is to let stories unfold, rather than to focus on generating any particular pre-conceived output, which requires me to let intuition and spontaneity dominate as I look to balance exacting line work and the unpredictable flow of ink. This process of artistic emancipation unleashes fantastic promise and, as a result, my work is more expressive then representational. I revel in the alchemy of material, color, and hand. There is a sense of innocence and virtue in their relationships that is tempered and made real by imperfection in ways that parallel our lives from birth to death. It is from this vision that the layering and textures in my work reflect the accumulation of memories, nostalgia, and experiences, both good and bad, which give substance to life.

In sharing my art, my intention and hope is that you will find something that deeply resonates for you viscerally, personally – an enduring inspiration and joy.

ARTIST STATEMENT 

I am wild about paper, color and the freedom of working in collage. All of the bits and pieces which make up each “Patchwork Quilt” collage are original artwork, either hand drawn, painted and/or printed. In preparation, I make numerous series of small paintings on paper, which allows the work to relate when disassembled and reassembled. It is very liberating to cut and tear paintings – and also very scary. The process forces me to be far less precious about the finished work, which moves on to becomes material for new artwork. The rhythm of color, scale, composition and line is very lyrical to me. Working on these collages is an exercise in patience and abandon, in discipline and exploration, in the magic of discovery conditioned by years as a visual artist.