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Artist Statement:

The direction of Trask’s work is heavily influenced by the waste streams that surround him. Through his art practice, Trask reflects upon society’s unsustainable attitudes towards material things and the destructive impacts those attitudes have on our communities and environment. What started as a personal exploration into trash as an artistic medium, gradually evolved into an expansive collaboration with an engaged community eager to donate their discards to a symbiotic process that fosters connection through creative reuse.

Bio:

Ian Trask is a sculptor and multimedia artist who transforms everyday waste materials into objects and installations with new purpose and integrity. His immersive works often play with sophisticated patterns, lending unlikely materials exquisite beauty. At other times, he works on an intimate scale with puckish humor. Trask began his career in New York City, where he was a core member of the Invisible Dog Art Center and exhibited at the Spring Break Art Fair, the Figment Festival, and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Upon returning to Maine, where he studied biology at Bowdoin College, Trask has exhibited at the University of New England, University of Maine, the Maine Historical Society, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. In 2018, he published his first artist book, Strange Histories: A Bizarre Collaboration, and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Hyperallergic, Portland Press Herald, Brooklyn Magazine, and Maine Magazine. Trask has been an artist-in-residence at Pioneer Works (Brooklyn, NY), Mass MOCA (North Adams, MA), Marble House Project (Dorset, VT), Wassaic Project (Wassaic, NY), and most recently at the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation (Rockland, ME). He is currently serving on the board of directors for Lights Out Gallery, a non-profit arts organization based in Norway, ME.

On winning a Maine Artist Fellowship:

It’s an incredible honor to receive the Maine Arts Commission Fellowship; this is my first time receiving an award of this magnitude. While I consider myself a full-time artist, I acknowledge that I’m on a privileged path that’s only made possible through the generous financial support of my amazing spouse. My long-term dream is for my art practice to fully sustain itself and generate actual income for me and my family, and this award is a significant milestone towards realizing that goal.

These funds will allow me to sustainably participate in high visibility opportunities in the coming year, including the 2025 Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair and an exciting month-long residency where I would explore teaching artist workshops in a historic location in downtown New York City. These experiences will hone my teaching ability and help me build professional connections between our state and another important regional art center, thereby improving my ability to serve and promote the Maine arts community.

Artist Image Gallery: