The way our environment shapes us holds strong regard in Ciel Skål’s process. She explores this by first dripping ink on wet paper and letting the medium spread in a natural way, then “carving” the figure from the ink’s formation with a mixture of watercolor, ink and graphite. Each medium is used in a way to mimic the natural “blooms” of the other - a way of expanding and combining textures [pictured below]; graphite may be used to mimic ink texture or watercolor, etc. Hands are the focal point of each work, expressing the figures’ relationship to the self - sometimes pressed deeply into the skin or held in a gentle touch. Hands are often in cast shadow, created by layers of mixed mediums, adding depth to grays and blacks.

Current influences include stark cast shadows of Baroque period tenebrism and bold line work of Japanese woodblock prints informed by art historical themes of the artist’s background and research; both elements are combined in a contrast between the abstract and realism.