Last week, we had the opportunity to ask Laura some questions about her artwork and being an artist.
DISSOLVING FILM: Have you always wanted to be an artist?
LAURA SOTO: Yes, and while it has looked different during different seasons, my hands have always been restless for the making.
What is your favorite medium and how did you discover it?
My favorite medium is mixed media, which seems like an easy answer, but it is the clumsy cocktail of discordant material that keeps me curious.
Do you have a process and if so, can you elaborate?
My process begins with the alchemy of conflicting material. I use anything from concrete and resin to industrial foam and oil paint, nothing is off limits. My organic forms are built out of fibers (mix of paper and board and canvas) that bow and curl under the weight of surface accumulation. I weather these surfaces and amass sediment until I achieve a stillness in the piece.
How would you describe your style?
At once organic and other worldly.
What has been your favorite piece that you have made to date?
 |
| (photo courtesy of Laura Soto) |
One of the largest pieces that I’ve made to date called “the fury of beautiful bones” [pictured above].
Is there something that you would like people to take away from your work?
The misdirect of material invites the viewer to a visceral response of wonder and curiosity and play. Growing up I beach combed a lot, always taken with these broken and hollow and luminous fragments I’d find in the tide… that uncertainty and wonder is something I chase in my work.
What advice would you give to a young artist?
Always keep a sketchbook and bring it everywhere. It is a portable studio. Do not be precious with it. Allow yourself all the indulgence and playfulness you desire in there. It is a great record of your mark making patterns, use of color and texture, etc.
Interview by Zoë Bridgwater
No Comments
Post a Comment