My name is Carol Margreither Mainardi, the Mermaid is a metaphor for my journey as a woman. My collage series illustrates the sadness, fear, and openness Mermaids face by being trapped in two worlds. Endlessly striving to keep from falling victim to their surroundings and becoming prey. My Mermaids are trapped by their tales in toxic environments, self – doubt, and vulnerability, their sexuality and beauty is a liability, but they do not give up hope. I am guided by the emotional life of the Mermaid and create paper dolls with tough manta ray skin tails painted with Lumiere metallic and pearlescent colors, as well as oil and acrylic. The mixed media backgrounds include suede board, fabric, and canvas embellished with materials found in nature books and decorative papers.
I also specialize in traditional printmaking and contemporary book arts.