Carol Es

Artist's Statement

In my art, I am looking for answers, evolving and discovering. I am inspired by the materials I work in. I am most interested in themes that tell a story and love working in oil paint because the pigments are so vibrant. They seem to stay alive, moving and swirling forever as if they are entities in and of themselves.

My compositions begin as crude, existential, or ambiguous ideas that commingle with the absurd. I have a playful imagination and aim to inspire others with my sense of humor, but ultimately prefer to leave viewers with their own interpretations.

I often mix media by adding pattern paper, fabric, or embroidery to my surfaces. I also do installations, draw on clothing patterns and maps, sew on my canvases, use watercolors, and make Artist's books too. I especially like hand-crafted things with small details.

Making art is a personal redemption for me--a methodical, visionary activity I use to distract myself from a damaged past to create new futures. I have survived abuse and trauma. I live with physical disabilities and complex mental illness. Art is how I connect to my community, my Jewish ancestry, and the universe. Sometimes, it is a struggle and a risk, like walking on the edges of tall buildings. But I wouldn't trade it for anything.