Carol Santos

Lives and works in Atlanta, GA, USA

Artist statement

My artistic journey is a fusion of personal experiences, introspection, and captivating ideas revolving around childhood, historical preservation, and the importance of familial traditions. Art became my conduit for the exploration and adoption of different mediums. Drawing deeply from personal experiences, my art weaves a narrative that delves into their impact on my children's lives. Nostalgia, once stigmatized, now serves as a bridge between my Brazilian past and my present identity. Through natural pigments and repurposed materials, I evoke nostalgia and the passage of time, paying homage to the laborious work of Brazilian women, notably my grandmothers. Each piece sparks conversations about personal and cultural identity, illuminating how our backgrounds shape us, and how we navigate assimilation and belonging. Inspired by artists like Ana Elisa Egreja, I experiment with acrylics and oils, employing layers to symbolize time's passage. Incorporating free gestural movements adds spontaneity and energy. Influenced by Do Ho Suh's soft sculptures, my RagRug project embodies the exploration of domestic scenes and memory preservation. Drawing from abstract expressionism, mark-making techniques, layering, and color fields further evoke the passage of time within my work. Using Cage’s concept of chance I invite the public to collaborate, abdicating total control of the process. Ultimately, I aim to create art that elevates the understanding of the human experience, encouraging...

Artwork