2018 E.A.S.T ARTIST HIGHLIGHT | Sasha Knight
Sasha Knight
We're exploring the world of the dozens of local artists featured at MMAC’s 2018 EAST gallery and their mediums. The goal of this series is to shed light on real-life Central Texas artists exploring what & why they create.
What medium/s do you work in? and what is it about that medium that drew you to it?
My main medium is acrylic paint, though with smaller scale works I use markers, watercolor, and colored pencil. I also make collages here and there so enjoy adding additional layers of paper to drawings. I’m drawn to these materials because of their ability to capture sharp lines and blocks of color, and also because they’re conducive to the process of layering shapes.
“Austin has this DIY, collaborative community that promotes almost an outsider approach to art making. It motivates me to create work that doesn’t simply rely on aesthetic.”
What is your favorite piece that you've worked on and why?
My favorite painting I’ve worked on is summerscope. The process of fitting each shape together like a puzzle and placing colors with clean strokes came easily and proved to be less frustrating than what works usually become. While testing out background colors, I left the sections as is rather than filling in the entire background with one color. The painting didn’t involve overworking areas to achieve a sense of “perfection” but relied on improvising.
Where have you displayed your work before?
Austin City Hall, Austin School of Film, Beeville Art Museum, LBJ Museum of San Marcos, and festivals like Kerrville Folk Festival and Utopiafest.
Tell us about the work you'll be showing in EAST! We'd love to know what to expect!
My newer works are abstractions of women’s beauty culture, such as areas of the body and face that are often targeted for modification.
Since this is the EAST Austin Studio Tour, do you feel that being an artist in Austin has had any impact on you and your work?
Austin has this DIY, collaborative community that promotes almost an outsider approach to art making. It motivates me to create work that doesn’t simply rely on aesthetics but rather explore social and personal concerns. The support of the creative community is a constant motivation to keep creating.
Check out more of Sasha’s work on her website and follow her on Instagram
ABOUT BIG MEDIUM’S EAST AUSTIN STUDIO TOUR:
Big Medium's East Austin Studio Tour (EAST) is a free, annual, self-guided art event spanning two weekends in November. EAST provides opportunities for the public to meet the artists and artisans of Austin in their creative spaces.