Catherine Armbrust's photostream

My art focuses on the concepts of healing, preservation, and transformation, whether through spiritual, psychological, or physical means. I reference the human chakra systems, natural elements, energy, plant, & animal medicines, as well as the mysteries of the divine spirit. The intimacies of the mind-body-spirit connections and the larger relation of the divine and physical worlds are proving of great importance to my personal and artistic evolution. Most often my work stems from specific concerns regarding my own physical or spiritual issues—personal struggles translated through using texture, symbols, and colors to represent memory and experience.

I come to the world of art by way of interior design. I have always been attracted to the conscious use of color, the variety of textures fabrics offer, and the intentional placement of a chair, a work of art, or even a stitch.

For most of my sculptures I tend to use soft, pliable materials that I knit, crochet, or sew. I greatly value the effects of my materials on the earth, so I like to re-purpose products in my work when suitable. I adore the sensuality that fibers and textiles lend to a piece, creating a desire in the viewer to caress the sculpture. I enjoy the physical construction, especially hand stitching, and like my works to have a textural landscape. Fibers and soft materials enable me to layer, crush, fold, bind and stretch a piece, creating the tension or comfort I desire.

My degree in Anthropology and my travel experiences have impacted the themes in my art. Ritual costumes, adornments, and artifacts (ancient and modern) continue to inspire my development. Contemporary influences on my work and formation of ideas are the vessels forms of Lanny Bergner, Mary Giles, Bird Ross, and Ann Coddington Rast and the sculptures and installations of Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Kiki Smith, El Anatsui, Abdoulaye Konate and Doris Salcedo. I feel a connection to the materials and construction methods these artists are using to translate mystery, magic, joy, and pain from the ether into our physical plane.