Works on Paper

Short Artist Statement

2011-04-09T13:34:00.000-04:00

A strict code of conduct
But put together loosely
Like taking out the memories and thinking about them in a different order.

2011-03-15T21:36:00.001-04:00

Coda

2011-03-05T12:40:00.005-05:00

It has been a long time since I last posted. I think it would be a good idea to write more of my thoughts about my work here, it's just hard to actually get around to that. I'm getting ready for my show in May at Tiger Strikes Asteroid. This week I settled on the name, Coda.

Coda means a number of different things, this is my favorite definition:

Coda (Italian for "tail", plural code) is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage which brings a piece (or one movement thereof) to a conclusion.

I mainly like the word because it means code in plural, but am interested that it means the end of a piece. I will not fight with that.

This show is going to be different than anything I have ever done before, and that is wonderful and terrible. I have produced so much work in the past two years, and in a way it will all be a part of this show, even though it won't all be there. This is going to be more installation-based--I am going to hang some things in the traditional way, but a lot of things are going to be painted or drawn on the walls. The surprise element is something that I always want in my work, so this is very exciting to me, but also nerve-racking.

The other thing I would like to say is, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I am slightly proud of myself for doing this while being a mom. Mom artist friends out there, you know who you are, YOU ARE MY HEROES! It can be done. Thanks, Leo, for helping me be an artist, mama, and teacher.

Digital Drawings

2010-02-15T20:13:00.003-05:00

New Stuff. I draw on top of photographs using Photoshop. The photographs I chose for a particular reason. I like the idea of a small jpeg, doesn't really exist physically as a drawing usually does. I could project it and make it big, or print it out as a thumbnail.

I've printed some of these onto pieces of newspaper and I really like the result. I'm going to experiment more when I get a printer from a friend that can be roughened up a bit. I think I prefer the ones that are tinier--almost unusable for anything. They're just there, peculiarly

Animation

2010-01-08T15:53:00.003-05:00

I started an animation. It's pretty slow going, but it's nice to make some work that doesn't take up any space. I like that it can be projected to any size, while just being a nice little digital file. It's not ready to show yet... at all. Not in the slightest. This image is the backdrop for the animation. So much for being less depressing. More later.

Hello? Can you hear me?

2009-11-09T12:16:00.004-05:00

I don't think anyone actually reads this, and I have not posted anything in about 7 months. Here are a few things I am doing/starting. They are the beginnings of something, but I like them as is, too.

I'm kind of at a crossroads. I have been doing smaller drawings, but I feel a bit stale. I might start working larger again. More colors...less...depressing. Not sure...I have to make a decision soon.

Future Past Imperfect

2009-04-11T16:18:00.002-04:00

May 1-29
Future Past Imperfect
New work by Caroline Santa

Tiger Strikes Asteroid
319 North 11th Street
Fourth floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Opening May 1, (First Friday) 6-10 PM
Gallery hours:
Friday, Saturday 12-6 PM and by appointment

New Gallery

2009-02-04T19:42:00.003-05:00

This is super exciting news. Tiger Strikes Asteroid is opening in March. The first exhibition will be a group show including the work of Philllip Adams, Tim Gierschick, Alexis Granwell, Alex Paik, Nathan Pankratz, and Caroline Santa.

319 North 11th Street, 4th Floor
Philadelphia PA 19107

More info to come. Sorry no pictures nor posts for very long time.

I can't sleep

2008-11-18T00:42:00.003-05:00

Like I Said, Everything That Goes Wrong Is Your Fault.

Arrested!

Ton of new stuff that needs to be photographed, but what is it?

2008-11-03T12:41:00.005-05:00

I've had a lot of small drawings that I have not photographed. I think I'm in love with them, but not sure what's happening. They're related to my process of photograph collecting. I've realized lately that I love the images I collect so much, that I have to do something else with them. I scanned these, but my scanner is too small for most of them.

Inside a Convention

Rich People (In Their NYC Apartment)

No title yet

New One

2008-10-17T09:26:00.003-04:00

Here are a few images of one of my newer big peices. this one is about 5 feet x 6.5 feet. I love stripes, especially with a lot of contrast.

Detail

Detail of Balloons

Graphite from a while ago

2008-10-05T09:22:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I just draw about the things I am thinking of. These two are from late spring of this year, and are both about 15 inches x 22 inches. For some reason, I always have this urge towards text in my work. I think that propels me forward, but often when I look back I want it to go away. It's important for me in the process, but is not often needed. Here I like it, though.

An Organized Person

2008-10-01T21:43:00.005-04:00

I have recently decided to be organized. I was never really messy, or maybe in college, oh wait...my room was usually a MESS when I was younger. I think I progressively became neater as I got older. I've been realizing in the past few years that when things are chaotic and a mess, I feel stuck. Like I will never be able to find anything. There are too many things to look at.

I started to organize my studio a little better. This is what it looks like :

Notice that there are a still a lot of things, but all tightly stacked so that they arn't piled on top of eachother. It actually looks kind of ... like someone with a problem did it.

Part of this has come out of having to make the most of small spaces in the city. I need those boxes and bins, because there is important stuff in them. But...I needed a place to put this bookshelf. I think it works, as long as I don't have to go into the bins too often.

2008-09-29T23:14:00.004-04:00

Moral Ambiguities

Standing in Front of Winnings

Homage to Jane Austen

Arm-Holding

Work with newspaper photographs

2008-09-29T12:43:00.004-04:00

Lady and Metropolitan Room

Pink Blob

Pink Kids With Ferris Wheel

I am a newspaper photograph hoarder now. I started with photographs on misc. better paper, but now I can't get enough of these. The New York Times is printed on better paper than The Philadelphia Inquirer. The NYTimes paper is luxurious and silky compared to the Inquirer. When I get the New York Times, I seem to save almost every single photograph for later. The Inquirer, on the other hand, only gives me a few that I find worthy.

Intro to Photograph collection (Click on images to enlarge)

2008-09-06T14:38:00.005-04:00

I have been collecting photographs for a while now. At first, I was just making drawings for my large pieces, and then I started to give in to my hoarding tendencies. I love images, and especially certain ones. I save the ones I must have and catalogue them away for later. The photographs below seemed to belong on the underlying trait diagrams.

Anxiety/Depression
Not Really

Hyperactive in What Way?

Athiest, or Believes in a Higher Power?
They Said No.

(Click on image for better view)

2008-09-04T22:38:00.005-04:00

It Is Hard To Distinguish What Really Happens

Real or Virtual?

There Is No Other Way To Get There

New Idea

2008-08-25T15:01:00.007-04:00

Debris Being Lifted Out of Water
ink on collage
roughly 5" x 7"

Now They Are So Much Smarter
ink on folded paper
roughly 8"x 11"

It Was All Folded Up When It Got Here, You Jerk
And
Now it is All SHIT
Gouache on paper
roughly 11" x 10"

Some more small work from earlier this year

2008-08-21T18:54:00.004-04:00

It's Not That Bad, It's Just That They Don't Care, ink on paper

You are Really Pushy
And Really Rude, ink on paper

Benezir Bhutto, ink on paper

These small works are a very important part of my process. They are generated directly and spontaneously from my reaction to stories I hear from the media, or people's lives. They become large work in the end, but I like to look back on them and consider them small pieces that stand alone.

Some Small work from earlier this year (February 08)

2008-08-21T18:47:00.003-04:00

That is So Disrespectful, roughly 16"x 20" not square

It's Like She Has No Idea About How These Things MUST Be, gouache on paper, roughly 16"x 20" not square

She Just Feels Really Sick
So She Has To Leave
And This is The Third Time Now, roughly 7"x3"