She likens her patterns and symbols to messages scrawled on the wall of a public bathroom, a space that is intimate and yet open for everyone. Through painting of easily recognized symbols she allows the viewer to imbue her work with their own sense of familiarity.
“Thoughts are evidence of existence,” Carnwath says, “we all have them.” Anonymous messages have a tendency to touch people in unexpected ways, and this connection generates universal understanding. Art is about generosity, giving something of yourself, making the work accessible so that participants can have an experience that is theirs alone. Pattern Language trusts viewers to draw their own meaning from what they see."
