Randi Stewart

“Origins” explores the interplay between fluidity and solidity, between what is concealed in depth and what surfaces into form. Using ink’s natural tendency to pool, bleed, and resist, I sought to evoke both geological time and the currents of inner life. The forms recall shells, roots, bark and eroded stone—patterns that repeat across scales in the natural world. This piece reflects my fascination with the unseen forces that shape everything: the accumulation of memory, the spiraling motion of thought, the tidal pull of emotion. 

BIO​

Stewart is a mixed media fine artist and muralist living in Pittsburgh, PA. Her current work is directly influenced by the repeating patterns and textures of the natural world. She has, in the last year, aligned her practice with her exploration of the forest and consequently found the path for her life work. It’s a beautiful merger of life interest, outlet and artistic exploration.

Randi’s work involves collecting ink impressions of textures found in nature, in the field. It is a practice that involves hiking distances to find prominent surface textures of organic objects such as tree bark, rocks, grasses, dried ground, etc that she renders by applying ink on linen over the object. She then enters into the studio to combine tactile techniques as well as reflective, intentional ink work with the collected textures. 

Having begun this nature-based phase of her work during the winter of 2020, Randi is continuing to evolve and experiment to find appropriate and alternative ways to speak her philosophy. In 2023, Randi began taking sewing and geometric bead weaving classes to begin to incorporate fabric manipulation and bead work within her work, showing repeating patterns across multiple mediums. She hopes to conclude this body of work by the Spring season of 2026.