Sarita Reynolds

After receiving my BFA from York University, I began my career as a children’s book illustrator. I now work full time as an abstract painter, based in Santa Barbara. My work is featured in homes and corporate offices across the US and Canada.

My process involves breaking down layers to suggest the surface once had another purpose, another life. Building up a canvas with paint and plaster, I then use unconventional materials such as bleach, vinegar, and black tea to deconstruct the layers. The resulting piece appears tactile, rough, and distressed, alluding to a larger story.

My work invites viewers to ask both ‘what is this?’ followed by ‘what was this?’. I am interested in playing with the idea of both the history and the legacy a surface can suggest.

I use color and texture to create surfaces that imply a history, a former life. My work creates a visual space that invites the viewer in to explore an abstracted atmosphere filled with suggested forms and imagery.