Wandering in Hope: Samantha Eckert
Image Credit: “Drift Before Naming”, Sam Eckert (acrylic on canvas)
Samantha Eckert: Wandering in Hope
Exhibit in Nuquist Gallery: March 30 – May 23, 2026
Friday, April 3 from 5-7:30 pm, 6:00 pm Artist Talk
Artist Statement
I am a multidisciplinary artist. My work comes from an intuitive process that involves time, deep observation, contemplation, and experimentation. This latest series of paintings embodies the style of ‘Casualism,’ which prioritizes the creative process; nothing is preplanned.
I am exploring experimentation and intuitive, intentional responses to color, shape, movement, and spatial landscapes within my compositions. My choices in color, mark-making, and pouring are driven by impulse and my reactions to the unfolding activity of liquid paint—blooms, drips, and layers. Broad swaths of color, resembling either looming clouds or gushing waterfalls, are designed to evoke imaginary or dreamlike landscapes. Through rigorous art practice and extended observation, my sensibilities have developed over time. My wish is for my intuition to meld with intention.
The work is informed by my personal feelings and thoughts. I feel bewilderment and anxiety about societal shifts brought on by the rise of artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as the overwhelming tensions and complexities of the political climate. My outlet is painting, which expresses a dichotomy of tension and peacefulness encapsulated by the mystery of abstraction. Ultimately, I am interested in portraying beauty, memory, loss, and longing in abstract form. I find solace in nature and am captivated by the beauty of the sea, clouds, and stars.
The new clay works are crafted with care and gentle handling, embodying both feminine sensuality and a connection to nature, particularly sea plants and living organisms.
Furthermore: Since the COVID lockdown, I believe humanity has been straddling a line between reality and something else; the mysteries of time and memory feel tangled and difficult to unravel. I experience a profound sense of longing within myself, and I sense this same longing in others— a yearning for a simpler time before COVID and before technology overshadowed our spirits.