carol gove

Risen, mixed media collage on wood, 37" x 37", 2007, Portrait 7, mixed media collage on wood, 18.5" x 13", 2007, Foundation, mixed media collage on wood, 18" x 13", 2008, Transform, mixed media collage on wood, 40" x 60", 2008, Reflect, mixed media collage on wood, 36" x 48", 2007

carol gove's collaged paintings and works on paper are smart, compositionally stunning and captivating in their depth and masterful use of color.

All painting contains its own history on the surface of the work. The colors, symbols and assembled materials included in my work compose a story not only about what is seen but also about the history of the process of the painting itself.
My work looks at the past and reflects on it. It explores the assumed simplicity of the past with the complexity of the present. The materials I use—old sheet music, sewing patterns, materials from my hometown of Temple, NH, and random Americana—are combined with paint to create a rich history on the surface of the work itself. During the painting process I break apart what I have created and rework it multiple times. This reminds me of our own histories and how our journeys can be very removed from their original roots.