CYNTHIA KNOTT
Wade in the Water, 2018
Outdoor Installation
CYNTHIA KNOTT is known for her in depth exploration of the push and pull that transpires at that elusive point in between the realms. She is most drawn to the effects of light on the water and the surrounding atmosphere. Cynthia is not trying to capture an exact moment in time; rather, she prefers to work when conditions are changing at the transition times of day into night, storm into clearing and vice versa. The use of encaustics enables her to transfer this mutability into the works themselves and the finished paintings also change with the shifting light of various times of day.
An acclaimed artist for 30 years, Cynthia has exhibited both in solo and group shows all over the United States and as far away as Japan. Since receiving her Master of Fine Arts from New York University in 1989, she has amassed significant awards, appointments, lecture invitations, and is a two time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Award. Collected internationally, Cynthia’s pieces have been purchased by such notables as Sir Patrick Stewart, Mercedes Ruehl, and Candice Bergen. Her work is also housed in the Time Warner Corporate Collection and the Geller Family Trust.
Private viewings can be arranged.
PIECE FOR MAKING WAVES:
Wade in the Water, 2018
15' x 12'
Mixed Medium Repurposed
ARTIST STATEMENT ABOUT WADE IN THE WATER:
I am a painter of the sea. Its sheer power and beauty has held my imagination fast. The origin of my inspiration was the simple act of picking up a sea shell when I was a child. As I held it to my ear, I searched over the water, trying to find the source of its magic, and I have never stopped searching.
Early in my career, I was drawn to paint the ocean's horizon, a line that appears and disappears with its companions of tide, light and moisture. For these many years, as I have been a painter of the sea, I've also been a keeper of all that occurs at the horizon. I am reporting back . . . all is not well. Now we collect plastic on the beaches instead of seashells.
As we gather at the Ships of the Sea Museum to address the devastating effects of pollution in the sea, I am reminded of the ancient Gullah and Geechee cultures, here in the lowcountry. The sea for them was clear and clean, an abundant source of food, as they cast their nets. While the sea was also a reminder of their journey into slavery, local waters were possible routes to freedom. The Negro spiritual, “Wade in the Water,” is about hope. It reflects the Israelites' escape out of Egypt, the Underground Railroad to freedom, and the chorus refers to miraculous
healings as described in John 5:4. When God troubles (stirs) the water, people are saved and healed.
May we, too, trouble the water, our work bringing hope of health and healing to the seas. May our art and activism allow our children and grandchildred to wade in the water. . . the clean, clear, healthy waters of our planet.
Header Image:
Echo, 2018
Oil and Encaustic on Linen
52" x 72"
Please contact Cynthia through HAZA Gallery.