Impact Original by Carol Sowden
Watercolour paper, charcoal dust, clay
The piece selected for the Petri Dish Project is an ongoing project to produce drawings of finite quality that highlight the beauty between the interaction of raw mark making materials and the elements.
Influenced by the examinational aspects of a petri dish and its contained nature, elemental moments produced by the force of water colliding with charcoal dust is intimately captured on watercolour paper. The petri dish facilitates the means to examine the work in more detail, looking closer at the delicate ethereal marks produced through this gentle impact. Juxtaposed against the naturally formed dark charcoal patterns more linear finite marks of clay offer a contrast of form and materiality.
There varying moments of elemental connection reflect in part, to the contact between matter and surface reminiscent of colliding planets and celestial debris within our solar system. Energy and matter coming together and the subsequent journey of evolution.
Carol Sowden is a process driven artist with an aim of maintaining a sustainable practice by producing work generated within the constraints of using materials of an organic nature.
By using mediums sourced from the environment she inhabits and introducing them to further elemental processes such as freezing she produces work that is both permanent and non-permanent.
Collecting, storing and the manipulation of ephemeral materials are key starting points that drive the act of creative process forward. The unpredictable element ‘happenings’ experienced with processes such as the application of heat and its resistance and the freezing and melting of liquids create tensions in making that drive instant and spontaneous work within a studio environment.
Through close and intimate observation, moments of interest are captured and harnessed to create works that focus attention on the process being explored. Her work is created mindful of the elements, the overlooked and the fragility of our environment.
These challenging unpredictable and fluid activities make for very varied outcomes and her work presents itself through paper-based, photography, film, and live ephemeral installations.
www.carolsowden.com
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