Erin Gardner is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses drawing, painting, and collage to create works that explore memory, perception, and personal narrative. Her work is a combination of observed imagery and more intuitive, primitive marks that are filtered and processed to construct a map of reality.
Through her art, Gardner examines the way our minds work to construct and reconstruct events, piecing together fragments to create a cohesive whole. Her process is both additive and subtractive, with sections of the artwork sometimes excavated to reveal deeper truths. As she explains, “sometimes what I am looking for already exists underneath the layers of paint.”
Gardner’s work invites the viewer to bridge gaps and explore further questions. She believes that art has the power to reveal truths and help us better understand ourselves and the world around us. Her unique approach to art-making has earned her acclaim and recognition, with her works being exhibited in galleries and collections throughout the United States.
Gardner received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa and her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado. She has since been awarded multiple fellowships and residencies, including a residency at the Vermont Studio Center.