Mixed media artist Cary Henrie is a bit of a chameleon. He’s continually evolving his work to stay a step ahead of trends, but also to challenge himself.
Cary grew up in Utah without a TV and parents who loved and encouraged art. He recalls he and his siblings becoming very adept at drawing and at a young age, Cary starting winning contests for his art. Eventually, he parlayed that into a full scholarship at the Pratt Institute in New York City.
After graduating, he spent the first part of his career creating covers for Sports Illustrated, Forbes, USA Today and Time, to name a few. But when magazines started to lose their foothold, he decided to transition into fine art.
“Much like the trajectory of Andy Warhol…he was an illustrator and went gradually more into fine art,” Cary said. “He continued to change and adapt [throughout his career].”
And that has become a trademark for Cary as well. He’s constantly evolving, growing and adapting his work and himself as an artist.
“I always want to break ground. I don’t want to do anything that anybody else has done. It’s a process of always reinventing or inventing a new technique.”
And that certainly shows in his latest work, which he refers to as wall sculptures because of their dimensional nature. Though he has worked with various mediums throughout his career, his work today primarily uses metallic acrylic on a mirror or aluminum surface. The result is a collection of vibrant, eye-catching and energizing art.
Cary is a long-time Celebration of Fine Art artist and what keeps him coming back year after year is getting to meet and engage with people. “I love forming more of a relationship rather than just selling a piece,” he said.
Watch his full interview here: