Water’s Edge

“Water’s Edge” is an installation reflecting concerns about the planet, both intimate and global.  Paintings around the circumference of the foyer depict abstract aerial views of Arctic ice melt.  Silk panels hanging in the center of the space reflect images of our ecosystem on the Mendocino Coast and invite a conversation on how rising sea levels and the effects of climate change will challenge all of us to redefine our sense of “home.”  In its solid ice-state, in its sea-level rise, in its life-giving force, and its propagating abilities, water offers its potential for self-reflection and invokes a deep reverence, reminding us that we are all edge-dwellers.

My paintings include many layers of collaged materials bound together in encaustic medium: fragments of domestic textiles, pages of old books, navigational charts, discarded detritus from our everyday lives.  This ongoing dialogue with the material brings its own history which is woven into the work.

My silk panels incorporate several transfer processes and cyanotypes of local seaweed, sewn together with vintage fragments.

The vibrant and rugged Mendocino coastline is a constant source of inspiration, both in and out of the water. I’m a surfer, and there is an inherent correlation between the uncertainty, thrill, and vulnerability of surfing and the creative process for me.  You can see more of my art at www.nicolepaisley.com.