Caroline Walton

 

For me, art is a way to express my feelings and views of the world. I find enjoyment in creating art and joy in being able to connect my thoughts with the visuals I produce. Art is an outlet and I notice that when I create work, I am able to process and realize my own feelings about the topic or subject with greater ease. I hope to continue to make work that brings me happiness and helps me connect with people who have similar ideas and perspectives as I do. 

 

I primarily work with acrylic paint pens because they allow me to create interesting patterns and bold colors while keeping the image clean. In my work, I take a lot of inspiration from psychedelic artwork and band posters from the 1960s and 70s. Following this path and using some of the same motifs as psychedelic artists has shown me that I enjoy making art that is whimsical, striking, and thought-provoking. 

 

Words are something everyone has in common. Whether it’s reading, speaking, listening, or consuming, words are essential for communication and connections. My current work explores the effect that words have on people, particularly the effect they have on me and how I perceive them. Commercials, songs, and phrases all heavily influence how people perceive the world and themselves, and this is something I explore throughout my work. I began making work that examined song lyrics and how I viewed them through my pieces done on records. As I became more interested in the words themselves and their message, I turned to vintage ads, specifically those with sexist messages. Through these works, I was able to figure out more of how I wanted my style to look, as well as what the words I was using truly meant to me. Currently, I am working on more pool and water-focused imagery and ads. As a swimmer, this is a big step towards better connecting my work to myself and a passion that has had a major influence on my character and life. I hope that through my continued work, I can discover how my own experiences have influenced how I see the world.