Catie Hannigan is a poet, book-maker, and educator based in Portland, OR. More of their work can be found at www.catiehannigan.com.
Artist Statement
This collection of three pieces is inspired by the Japanese aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi, which draws from the Buddhist understanding that all things are impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete.
The print and book are created with suminagashi (“floating ink”), a marbling process where the artist’s control is limited, allowing water, air, and movement to shape the work which encourages a more present creative experience.
The sculpture is obsidian gathered at Glass Buttes, Oregon. Engraved with “Guest on Earth,” it reflects themes of temporality and mortality; an awareness of such that guards against perfectionism and over-control.
As I move toward becoming a therapist, my work with grief and loss deeply informs these pieces. While the universe destructs it also constructs. New things emerge out of nothingness. But we can’t really determine by cursory observation whether something is in the evolving or devolving mode. – Leonard Koren
