Carrie Ann Plank is a San Francisco-based artist working in installation, printmaking, and painting. Her work focuses on sophisticated geometric layers, using mathematical equations to create overlapping impressions that reveal new and distinct pattern formations. By examining the intersections of these patterns, she explores the space between them, often referencing scientific data and abstracted structures, such as those seen in electron microscopy and mathematical order theory.
Carrie Ann’s process involves adapting traditional printmaking techniques—like woodcarving, serigraphy, and intaglio—to create unique works. She starts with drawings that are translated into multiple wood carvings, layering transparent inks and transferring them to substrates. This approach allows her to embrace the precision of printmaking, producing detailed marks that cannot be achieved with a brushstroke, while offering the ability to repeat and refine her creations. The physicality and tradition of working with a printing press are central to her process, providing both challenges and rewards as she layers colors and marks to reveal intricate details.
Carrie Ann's work is exhibited internationally and held in numerous collections. In addition to her art practice, she is deeply involved in the Bay Area arts community, serving on boards such as Root Division, California Society of Printmakers, and Art for AIDS. Collaboration is also a key part of her journey, as she consistently partners with corporate, academic, and scientific institutions to access materials and ideas. This allows her to merge intellectual property, imaging techniques, and artistic exploration. Before fully committing to her art practice in 2018, she spent 20 years teaching.