Carmen Campos - Artist Statement

Like a philodendron plant, my cultural roots are in Spain, where I was born and nurtured until my mid-twenties along the rivers Bernesga, Pisuerga and Órbigo. For fifteen years, my aerial roots were nourished by the vibrant energy of La Seine in France. All through the last 30 years, I have settled by the Bow River, an ancestral territory for multiple Indigenous Peoples that continues to attract and gather people from all over the world.

The strength in my stems support core principles in Social Work that have no borders: Universal Human Rights, aspiring for Social Justice and Equality. My profession and values have helped me sustain adaptation to new landscapes, forging connections and bridging with diverse groups and communities all my life. Shoots of flowers emerged when I became a mother of 3 unique human beings that fill the depths of my soul and are one of my biggest sources of inspiration.

I am privileged and grateful for all the opportunities where I was nourished by art and creativity, from early mentors to community classes (crafting, painting, ceramics, printing), being delighted by exhibitions, museums, public art and nature. My artistic endeavours keep me wandering, wondering and sprouting new leaves.

Email:  carmencamposmarcos@gmail.com

ARTIST STATEMENT:

The focal point of my creative multisensorial process has taken me to explore the opportunities that emerge from intersecting different topics, media, textures, shapes, forms, figures, composition and colors. During the creative process, I can lose myself in the flow of what is unfolding, shifting with evolving emotions and awareness. Emerging themes traverse, blur, and dissolve boundaries, testing the limits of space and time. Learning and playing, playing and learning, then reaching out to share and welcoming feedback.

Art can be a tool for engaging human connection. A gesture of extending, opening and inviting to explore our common humanity. Another language with different accents, possibilities for igniting conversations, perhaps finding a moment of self-compassion in a turbulent world.