Kait Rhoads

Artist Statement

"My love of living things was encouraged, so that from the very beginning I was able to develop that sense of wonder, of awe, that can lead to spiritual awareness." - Jane Goodall

My work is inspired by nature and informed by memory. And, three oceans - The Caribbean, the Indian and the Pacific - delineate the imaginative boundaries of my practice.

I grew up on the water of the Caribbean in a ship with my family where my deep affinity for biological systems began. I lived surrounded by nature; the liquid light and aquatic life imprinted upon my senses. The sculptures I create emanate from my early experiences within and curiosity about the natural world. While exploring the waters around Bali, I experienced the extraordinary biodiversity and extensive architecture of coral colonies there. This has a deep influence on my sculptural forms and process of making.

The cold, deep green waters of Puget Sound are a more recent source of inspiration in my work. Since moving to the Northwest over two decades ago, my fascination extended from coral colonies to kelp forests. Seaweed's pliable forms continually inspire me - they stretch up from the depths, undulate in the shallows, and lie on tidal surfaces. Aquatic life infuses my sculptures with animated forms, sparkling surfaces, and faceted exoskeletons.

My method of construction mirrors how my life has formed me, with individual elements woven together to create a strong whole. I consider the individual units, conical hexagonal forms known as hollow murrine, as architectural elements that fit together to create a fluid or floating object. The concept of the work develops slowly, and the production of a complicated piece can take months to years to complete. I desire my work to be emotionally effective - that it evokes for audiences a similar sense of wonder in our blue planet that continues to inspire me. And even, perhaps, to instill a desire to conserve our fragile aquatic ecosystem.