Carol Ladewig
In graduate school I became interested in the structure of the grid as an organizing form for my work. I began a daily drawing practice and placed each image on the wall of my studio, building a grid, which created a visual diary of my thoughts during that year. In this process, I became interested in the way in which the separate drawings related one to the other, as the wall was added to: placed in conversation with each other, the images’ meanings evolved and shifted. I translated this practice of combining separate elements into a grid structure into my paintings; the first series was “States of Mind,” which combined layered images, color, and drawings to create visual narratives of time and memory. Over the years this practice has evolved into the current “Year in Color” series and a series of smaller works incorporating panels of color and drawings.
Since 2011, I have been making large-scale painting installations that render the abstract concept time and its measurement into visual and literal form through the medium of color. The installations are composed of small individual paintings. In these small paintings, each of which represents either an individual day or week, I translate a day's personal experiences and moods into a single color. This color is then combined with a neutral tone according to universal patterns such as the percentage of the moon that was in shadow on that date.
Each year these installations have looked at different elements and ways of visualizing and tracking time. Days have been organized sequentially into weeks either horizontally or vertically while looking at the relationship of day to night, or sunrise and sunset, and waking and sleeping. In this body of work, I strive to create an eloquent balance between my personal perceptions and universally recognized structures that represent the passage of time.
For more information about Carol Ladewig, please visit her website.