Artist Statement
I explore a shift in our perception of our own identities. The figures in my work appear to be in a timeless void, this is inspired by the Buddhist concept where there is no beginning and no end. I distill my work down to a single emotion. In my distillation process my figures become more and more abstracted, so that the viewer is not identifying with a certain individual but an experience or emotion. My work is all about transformation, from all of life’s great emotions, oddly enough comes a personal transformation, which I find very exciting.
I combine both representational figurative and abstract painting. I work in oil, mixed media, graphite, acrylic and pastel. I build up layers to create a depth and mood. I will often let paint run down a canvas and even destroy a completed part of the painting. The emotional concept of not being able to control a situation is all part of my painting process. In my work I often use modeling paste and acrylic polymer products to build up textures. In some cases I might burn these textures to create a feeling. I do a lot of work on mylar for its translucent quality. I love the way light plays with it creating yet another dimension.
Awards
Pastel 100, Pastel Journal 2009, Figurative
Best of Show, Visual Arts Center National Art Exhibit, Punta Gorda FL
Silver Award, Creativity 37 for Celebration Mural
Illustration West 46, Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles
Open M Award, Pastel Society of the West Coast, 2007
Third Place, Spring Show, Academy of Art University, 2007
Third Place Still Life, Pastel 100, Pastel Journal, 2007
llustration West 45, Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles ,2007
3rd Place, Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists, 2006
Carolyn Giffuni Marcellino Award, Pastel Society of America, 2006
Rembrandt Pastel Award, New Mexico Pastel Society, 2006
Award of Merit, American Art Jury Salon, 2006
Honorable Mention Award, Santa Cruz Art League, 2005
In Memorium Award, Pastel Society of New Mexico, 2005
Ridgewood Art Institute Award, Pastel Society of America, 2005
Best of Show, Pastels USA, 2005
2nd Place, Pastel Society of North Florida, 2004
Award of Merit , Pastels USA, PSWC International, 2004
Best of Show – Pastels, Woman Artist of the West, 2003
Merit Award, The Art Directors Club, 1988
Merit Award, The West Coast Show, 1988
Award of Excellence, California Arts Show, 1987
Award of Honors, Art Center 1985
Champion Paper Imagination Award, 1984
Clio, The Art Directors Club, 1982
Solo Exhibition
Twoness, Krause Gallery, Providence, RI – 2008
Vistas, Silver Heron Gallery, Depoe Bay, OR – 2008
The Madonnas, Silver Heron Gallery, Depoe Bay, OR – 2007
Birthing, Gallery 79, San Francisco – 2007
Experiments, Gallery 79, San Francisco – 2006
Museum Shows
Pastels USA, Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA – 2008
13th Annual, Connecticut Pastel Society, Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT – 2006
Pastels USA, Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA – 2005
Renaissance in Pastel, Slater Memorial Museum, CT – 2005
Group Shows
Five Great Woman Artists, Patou Gallery, Coral Gables, FL – 2008
Bay Area Influence, Wendt Gallery, Laguna Beach – 2007
Strictly Abstract, Gallery 79, San Francisco – 2007
National Arts Foundation, Chicago – 2006
Juried Shows
Woman!, New York Graduate School for Psychoanalysis, NYC, NY – 2008
Works on Paper, National Association of Women Artist, NYC, NY – 2008
National Juried Art Exhibition, Hilton Head Art League, Hilton Head, SC – 2008
Art & Impermanence, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA – 2008
23rd Annual Juried Show, Gallery Route One, Pt. Reyes, CA – 2008
Visual Arts Center National Art Exhibit, Punta Gorda, FL – 2008
Route One Juried Show, Point Reyes Station, CA – 2008
Pastel Society of America, New York – 2007
Pastels USA 21st Annual International Open, Pastel Society of the West Coast – 2007
Society of Illustrators Award Show, Billy Shire Fine Art Gallery, Culver City, CA – 2007
Pastel 100, Pastel Journal, March – 2007
Best of 2006, American Art Jury Salon, November – 2006
New Mexico Pastel Society, Albuquerque, NM, October – 2006
Pastel Society of America, New York, September – 2006
Academy of Art Spring Show, Gallery, San Francisco, CA, May – 2006
Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio Texas, April – 2006
75th Annual, Hudson Valley Art Association, National Arts Club, New York – 2006
Renaissance in Pastel, Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists, Bendheim Gallery – 2006
Best of the West, Red Dot Fine Art, 616 1/2 B Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM– 2006
Pastel Society of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM – 2005
Pastel Society of America, New York City – 2005
Pastels USA 19th Annual International, Pastel Society of the West Coast – 2005
Salon International, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art – 2005
Western Regional, Oil Painters of America – 2005
Articles
Best of America Pastel, Volume II, 2009
Top Five Pastels in USA, by Bonnie Gangelhoff, Southwest Art Magazine, March 2009
Pastel 100 Figurative by Jessica Canterbury, Pastel Journal, April 2009
Warm-up Exercises for Artists, American Artist Magazine, August, 2008
Pastel 100 Still Life by Jessica Canterbury, Pastel Journal, March 2007
The 21st Century Pastelist by Tom Zeit, Pastel Journal, August 2007
Artist to Watch by Bonnie Gangelhoff, Southwest Art Magazine, September 2006
Memberships
National Association of Women Artists
California Art Club
Pastel Society of America
Pastel Society of the West Coast
Portrait Society of America