I am Sarah Kudirka.
You know when you find something in your pocket that you picked up then forgot about? Familiar but unknown, a wee treasure, your fingers feel around its surfaces, its edges. Not until you pull it out of your pocket and see it in your hand do you know what it is. Kind of like that, as an artist I explore the shapes and edges of stuff.
“work that is beautiful, layered and thoughtful” – Jan Patience, art writer
Currently my work centres upon bowl:boat motifs and shell-like forms; with ideas of belonging, distance or closeness, diaspora and crossing oceans.
More often than not my paintings have incised, scraped, oft-obliterated, deeply-textured surfaces. I paint in oils on fine linen and over recycled instant film exposures. My practice is distinctively low-tech – I pull things apart and build them up again iteratively. There are always many layers to what I paint. I am fond of stripes, Polaroids, colourful grids and sunshine.
High-level experience in creative consultancy, working with Arup engineers, architects and designers on global projects from buildings to public realm, and founding The Penguin Pool event series worldwide.
Born and educated in England and Kenya, I am now based in Scotland. Images by me are in corporate, public and private collections internationally. Do please get in touch if you’d like to add my work to your collection; seek my input on a project; discuss a show or commission; or just to say hello.
Public Realm Art Consultancy with/for architects, developers, private clients
Visual Creativity training for building engineers, architects and designers
Founder of ‘The Penguin Pool’ ARUP events held in 15 cities worldwide
NB Until 2012 I was called Sarah K Davenport