Collection: Earthscapes

New Work by Audrey Gray

Painting landscapes that I live in out of dirt from places I go.

All of my pigments are real dirt that I have gathered and processed by hand. Each time I take a road trip, a trowel and bags are packed in the car so I can stop along the way. Road-cuts and hillsides across the Southwest yield dirt of myriad hues, from iron-rich reds to soft pinks, ochres, and even green. Coal collected from the Four Corners area provides a deep, beautiful black. Using these materials, I create images of the landscapes that I live in and interact with.

Creating connection with the earth – for me, literally, by getting my hands into it with each piece I make.

Audrey Gray lives and creates in Colorado Springs, where she is close to the mountains and the sky. She grew up in the Denver metro area, where she spent a good deal of her free time making potions out of dirt and plants. She moved to Texas for college and graduated from Southwestern University in 2001 with a degree in Studio Art. In 2007, she moved to the Pikes Peak region and began creating and showing locally. She currently lives in Colorado Springs with her son Solomon. They make rock and dirt hunting expeditions part of their weekend routine. Audrey serves on the boards of the Pikes Peak Arts Council, the Manitou Springs Arts Council, and the Manitou Springs Creative District, where she works to support local artists.