Artists Statement
The images that I create come from my personal influences and experiences. I have a fascination with human facial expressions and many of my pieces are portraits of interesting people with interesting expressions and perspectives. Additionally, I am interested in religion, especially Judaism. Therefore, you will find that many of my pieces are images of Jewish people in traditional and non-traditional Jewish settings.
I enjoy trying to show a glimpse of the personalities of my subjects. Although my images resemble the subject I am portraying, often they are not photo-realistic. Rather, people recognize the inner personality coming through revealing the subject of the portrait. This is most true in my woodcut portraits. My paintings and drawings are more accurate renderings of the actual appearance of the subject. Still, I try to portray facial and body expressions that give the viewer a glimpse into the soul and personality of the subject. It is said that the eyes are windows to the soul. I dont know if this is true, but I often find that the eyes are the key to portraying the inner values and workings of the human being.
About the Process
Many of my pieces of are woodblock prints. I carve images into the wood panels and then roll the surface with ink. The inked wood is then placed onto paper and pressure is applied using a wringer-styled press or hand pressed with the back of a wooden spoon. The ink transfers from the wood to the paper. When I create multi-colored images, I must send the block through the press for several passes each having additional cuts. Alternatively, I can carve several blocks and ink each in a different color. I use traditional wood carving tools such as gouges and chisels to develop his image. I also utilize electrical tool and non-traditional tools like dremels, drills, circular saws, hammer and nails, Exacto knives and any other tool that can create the desired mark in the wood. I also incorporate the grain of the wood as a vital component of the image.
About the Artist Ari Sutton has been a professional graphic designer, writer, and illustrator since 2004. He is also a fine artist who has exhibited his images in Massachusetts, Florida, and online venues. Ari has a MFA in Media Design at Full Sail University where he received the Course Director's Award for Effective Copywriting. His undergraduate degree is a BA in Liberal Studies from Framingham State University with 36 credits in art, and strong concentrations in English and music. Additionally, Ari has certificates in Technical Writing, and Copy Editing and Proofreading from the University of Maryland.
