In the Absence of Words

by Susan Benarcik

“The work I create is inspired by organic forms; their contour, color, and habits and ranges from abstract to slightly representational. My ideas come from two different reference points; my work as a gardener, and experience as a printmaker and surface designer. I think a lot about patterns, filagree, topography, layers, and silhouettes. For as long as I can remember, observation and experimentation have been my métier. Continually surrounded as a child by skilled artisans, designers and their materials, I developed my own unique skills founded in experimentation. My work on paper and sculpture are created by using a variety of mediums and techniques that might be found in a flower shop or print studio. I use acrylic inks and gouache to paint amorphous designs and layered patterns. I take and use photographs and collected ephemera to create intricate collage. It is not uncommon for my two- dimensional ideas to grow outside of their confines, and transfigure into three-dimensional sculpture made of thoughtfully selected natural and found elements, held together using techniques such as wiring, stitching, layering, weaving, folding, and entangling. These sculptural orchestrations range in size, complexity, and dimension and frequently reflect organic forms.”