Audrey Gray - View from the Brink

This February, as I was beginning drawings for this show, I began experiencing unusual pain, and ended up being diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive cancer. The ensuing operation, forced time off from work, and emotional upheaval was incredible. Coming out of the surgery, being told that everything went as well as possible, that I was currently disease free, and that I still had only a sixty percent chance of surviving the next five years, turned my world upside down. This experience, along with the concurrent unraveling of our democracy, has created an intense experience of both despair and gratitude. The darks are much darker, but the light still exists and is ever more precious. My aim in creating these paintings has been to reflect that dichotomy, which has always been here, but which feels ever more extreme.

About my process:
All of my pigments are real dirt that I have gathered and processed by hand. Each time I take a road trip, a trowel and bags are packed in the car so I can stop along the way. Road-cuts and hillsides across the Southwest yield dirt of myriad hues, from iron-rich reds to soft pinks, ochres, and even green. Coal collected from the Four Corners area provides a deep, beautiful black. Using these materials, I create images of the landscapes that I live in and interact with.