In this episode of the Have You Seen? series, Carrie chats with Storm Tharp, a Portland, Oregon based painter and sculptor.

Storm builds his strange and beautiful characters by first drawing contours on the page with water. Inspired by the technique of Japanese calligraphy, the application of ink is a parallel of the mind’s movements, its unexpected focuses and elisions. As with any portrait, his works are signs pointing to a void: the subject itself, physically absent, disappearing before our very eyes.

From Carrie:

"When I spoke with Storm, he explained how he mixes painting, drawing, and sculpture to create these hauntingly beautiful portraits. For example, “Portrait of Flora” is both delicate and unsettling. The fragmented features and deep eyes tell a story of vulnerability and resilience. His art stays with you, balancing control and chaos in such a memorable way."

Explore Storm's work.

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About the Have You Seen? series:

The ⁠Have You Seen? Series⁠ is all about talking to emerging and mid-career artists about their journey to now.

Curious about how an artist got to where they are or indeed why they chose art in the first place? Then this series is for you. Join us as we speak to emerging and mid-career artists across the globe. Don’t worry, there’s no hiding behind art speak here, or pretending that being an artist is a bowl of cherries. We’re here to hear it all, straight from the source.