My name is Carley- with an “e” -Fortier. I am a Phoenix-based artist who is formally educated in Industrial Design, self-taught in graphic design and illustration, and a student of the weird.

After growing up in cold, desolate north Idaho, I vowed never to interact with snow again and moved to the desert as soon as I was able.

I find inspiration in the disgusting; things with exoskeletons, bugs, crabs; things that ooze, slime; dead stuff, bones, eyeballs, or unidentifiable things that may or may not have come from an alien body cavity.

My enthusiasm for sci-fi was heavily influenced by the “old-timey” movies I watched as a child – think Alien, Starship Troopers, and the creatures of the original Star Wars films. As a kid, I was fascinated by those kinds of physical props and always imagined how much fun it would be to create my own. However, as I grew up, I quickly realized that making disgusting movie puppets was not a realistic job prospect.

So, as everything was becoming CGI, I went to college for industrial design, where I was inspired by brands like Alessi. Their kitchen supplies, like the person-shaped wine opener, and bunny rabbit paper towel holder, inspired me to make otherwise utilitarian products fun and interesting.

My favorite mediums are acrylic paint, Procreate on the iPad, and my 3D printers. Acrylics are very forgiving. The ability to paint over something again and again allows me to jump right in, change my mind, and explore ideas. Digital painting combines superior flexibility with the convenience of a portable “canvas.” And I love the fact that I can use 3D printing to take the weirdness of my mind into the physical, and sometimes useful things. I envision my creations appearing in toys and gaming platforms, as well as unusual variations of everyday products.

 

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