Catherine Altice - Artist's Statement
In rivers, the water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that which comes;
so with present time. - Leonardo da Vinci
I find myself swimming around in deep, watery undercurrents in some way, shape or form.
Fluidity and decay continue to draw me in for a closer look. How we communicate or miscommunicate within ourselves, with each other, and with animals and our environment continue to crop up in my work. It’s about diving deeper and exploring subtle subconscious connections that resonate from my Southern Appalachian roots. These are the elements that have shaped me into an artist. The work serves as a pathway, or an in-road, to uncharted territory.
My work tends to fluctuate between memories, daily encounters and the dream world. A multitude of layering and textures reside within the mixed media and encaustic works as well as the photography. I allow these explorations evolve into whatever they want to become in a cobbled together yet meditative fashion. Oftentimes, I begin with a base layer of fabrics, papers, wire, plaster, found objects, or random objects; not knowing what to expect as an final outcome.
My inexplicable childhood love for creating surreal worlds and an innocent childlike sense of wonder have never faded away. Sadly, many of my childhood stomping grounds in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southern Appalachia have all but vanished. I see that my magical childhood playgrounds are now replaced with shopping centers, convenience stores, parking lots, and suburban sprawl. Seems like everyone is walking around with their heads in their smartphones lately. I wonder where we are heading as we move, full speed ahead, into the digital, virtual world. I wonder how our fragile ecosystems and animals that inhabit this small blue world will carry on - with or without us.
These works serve as a way back into my heartland; the muddy, watery places I so dearly cherish.
