Land In Process: Arist Statement

2009-03-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.” -E.B. White

The land has always held my attention as an inspiring element. In my work, I strive to show the process of the land and its interconnection with man’s influence. We have all contributed to the landscapes of today. We have over-processed, over-worked, and drained our resources. Today’s natural world bares the marks of years of punishment and use; many of which are unseen.

Contrast and juxtaposition are key elements in my work. The way we attempt to integrate our humanity into nature creates a certain disparity and tension. To capture this feeling, I combine impasto paint quality, heightened color, and scraffito. I use these painting elements to abstract and flatten areas of the land, sacrificing the carefully constructed landscape. This is done to emphasize the way foreign elements conflict with the natural ecosystem that surrounds us. The use of heightened hues and layer-patterned grounds represent what is beneath the surface. We bury our trash, our own waste, our dead, and all other toxins that contaminate the soil. The air around us has suffered similar neglect.

The abused atmosphere is represented with scraffito marks in the skies of my paintings. Some of these marks are chaotic lines, representing the many artificial elements that stream through our skies everyday with a constant motion and sound: electricity, phone lines, the internet, car, jet and factory emissions. Not only do these elements have an effect on the air quality, the sounds they produce are also a focal point in my work. Many of my landscapes may seem quite serene when in actuality they are referenced from places of tremendous unrest: the side of the expressway, the long lots next to an airport, or a busy urban street at rush hour. I believe a truly realistic portrayal of these landscapes would include a visual representation of the auditory disturbance we take for granted. This to me seems a much more realistic portrayal of the scene than falsely representing the landscape in a more peaceful manner.

Formally, my paintings are abstract representational works. I am attempting to narrow the gap between traditional representational art and abstraction, coaching the viewer to understand the painting process and to appreciate different styles of art. All of my work is done with oil paint on a stretched and sealed canvas. After sealing the canvas, I apply my ground color (Burnt Sienna) to the surface. I then proceed with my under-painting and my final layers. My paintings are ala-prima (one session), so I am always working with wet-on-wet paint giving me freedom to move and manipulate the medium.

My inspirations stretch from traditional painters like William Turner, Édouard Manet, Camille Pissarro, and Edward Hopper to non-traditional artists such as Egon Schiele, Giorgio De Chirico, Andy Goldsworthy and Christo & Jeanne Claude. I am constantly inspired by their diverse use of color and their unique perspectives on how the land may be perceived.

Formal Resumé

2009-03-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

EDUCATION

2005 B.F.A Painting, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
2004 Studio Art Centers International (SACI), Florence, Italy
2001 Macomb Community College, Sterling Heights, MI

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2006 Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
Continuing Studies Teacher
Drawing, Watercolor Painting, Materials & Techniques

2005 Middleville Home School Program, Middleville, MI
5th – 12th grade Art Teacher
Basic Drawing, Painting, Materials & Techniques

HONORS & AWARDS

2007 Student Purchase Award, East Lansing Art Festival, East Lansing, MI
2007 American Heart Association, “Go Red” Competition, Honorable Mention, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 “Fresh Off The Block”, Honorable Mention, Kendall College of Art and Design, Student Gallery, MI
2006 “Art Battle V”, 2nd Place winner, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2009 Tumbleweed Gallery, Portland, OR
2008 First Thursday Opener, October & November, Josepha Kate Gallery, Portland, OR
2007 “Sheltered Space”, Gallery Fifty, Traverse City, MI
2006 “Land In Process”, Van Singel Fine Arts Center, Gainey Gallery, Byron Center, MI

TWO & THREE PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2009 "Three Women, Three Ways", Lafontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2008 “New Artists, Fresh Look, Work, View”, Lafontsee Galleries Grand Rapids, MI
2005 “Remembered Places”, DAAC Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2004 “Florence Italy”, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009 “Young Talent Exhibition”, Washington Art Association (WAA), Washington DC, VA
2009 “Small Works by Enormously Talented Artists”, The Lafontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2008 “Lovin’ Summer”, The Lafontsee Galleries, Grand Rapids, MI
2008 “The Great Outdoors”, The Word of Mouth Gallery, Portland, OR
2008 “Hearts & Flowers”, Gallery Fifty, Traverse City, MI
2007 “20/20/20”, The Lafontsee Gallery 20th Anniversary, Grand Rapids, MI
2007 “On The Wing”, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2007 Celebration 2007 “Annual Juried Spiritual Art Competition, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 “Fresh Off The Block”, Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 Thumb Area Regional Art Exhibition, Stark Weather Gallery, Romeo, MI
2006 Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 78th Regional Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2006 Celebration 2006 “An Exhibition of Religious Art”, Grand Rapids, MI
2005 77th Regional Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
2002 “5in by 5in”, Lo-Fi Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI

FESTIVAL PARTICIPATION

2009 First Thursday in the Pearl, Portland, OR
2009 Alberta Arts Festival, Portland, OR
2009 Saturday Market, Portland, OR
2007 Birmingham Fine Art Festival, Birmingham, MI
2007 Suttons Bay Art Festival, Suttons Bay, MI
2007 44th Annual East Lansing Art Festival, East Lansing, MI
2007 Art on the Rocks, Marquette, MI
2007 Charlevoix Waterfront Art Festival, Charlevoix, MI
2006 Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts Holiday Artist’s Market, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 Holiday Arts & Craft Fair, Lowell, MI
2005 43rd Annual East Lansing Art Festival, East Lansing, MI

REPRESENTATION

2007 - Present Lafontsee Galleries Underground Studios, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 - Present Gallery 50, Traverse City, MI
2008-09 Attic Gallery, Portland, OR
2008-08 Josefa Kate Gallery, Portland, OR
2006-07 The Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2006-07 The Red Door Gallery, Ludington, MI
2007-08 Birmingham Bloomfield Fine Art Center, Birmingham, MI
2005-06 Pepper Moon Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2005-06 Tatum Gallery, Petoskey, MI
2006 DeGraaf Gallery, Saugatuck, MI

PUBLICATIONS

2008-09 Weekend Life, January Issue, “Young Talent’ 2009”, CT
2008-09 Voices, December Issue, WAA “Young Talent” Exhibition, CT
2008-09 NW Portland Magazine, “Home NW Portland Style”, Business Guide, Fall/Winter
2007 Detroit Home Magazine, “The Best of The Good Life”, September/ October 2007

COMMISSIONS

2008 Kenneth Brown Design, “Sturz Family”, Los Angeles, CA
2006 Mural, National Heritage Academy, Walker Charter Schools, Walker, MI
2006 Mural, Wenger’s Bowling Alley, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 Mural, National Heritage Academy, Knapp Charter Schools, Grand Rapids, MI

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2008 Graphic Design, Business Card/ Promotion Design Portland, OR
2008 Graphic Design, Carpathian Club Emblem Design, Shelby Twp., MI
2007 Terpstra Photography, Assistant Photographer, Grand Rapids, MI
2006 Independent Freelance Artist, Grand Rapids, MI
2005 Douglas Photography, Assistant , Rockford, MI
2002 Meridian Advertising, Internship, Troy, MI

SCHOLARSHIPS

2006 American Award for University Women Scholarship (AAUW)
2003-05 Kendall College of Art and Design, Merit Scholarship
2001-05 Chrysler Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Scholarship
2001 Art Honors Scholarship, Monday Club

COMMUNITY SERVICE

2008 “Live Coverage”, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art Benefit, Grand Rapids, MI
2007 “Live Coverage”, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts Benefit, Grand Rapids, MI
2007 Mary Freebed Hospital, Children’s Hospital Window Painting, Grand Rapids, MI
2005 Mobile Project, Coit Center for Creative Studies, Grand Rapids, MI

Artist Statement & Resumé

Land In Process: Arist Statement

Formal Resumé