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Artist Statement
I think of my artwork as a shared breath of life; a gift from my heart to the viewer's; an offering to them to
embrace, or partake in, the beautiful symphony of life that I have tried to transpose onto canvas.
I hunger to capture the essence of that life; preserving it for posterity, for future generations to finger through
and savor. I earnestly yearn to take the viewers' hands, draw them into the canvas and say, "Walk with me through
this moment in time; feel this presence; know this face; this place where we walked; this life. Go forward; but,
don't forget the yesterdays. Remember them; treasure them; carry them with you as you build your new tomorrows.
Know that our legacy; this transitional nanosecond captured on canvas; is where our path left off; and yours began"
Born in Somerville, MA, a suburb of Boston, my New England roots are
now firmly entrenched in the fertile loam of the Midwestern
plains. Lake Michigan's golden dunes know my familiar tread
by rote; yet, her raucous gulls taunt my briny East Coast
memories.
While my heart battles a dichotomy of loyalties, my brush and pen follow
a divergent, yet symbiotic, course.
Five of my poems and two of my paintings, " Questions
without Answers" and "Dune Tapestry" were published in the
2007 edition of, " From the Edge of the Prairie." Five more
poems will be included in the 2008 edition, including, "
Broken Promises - TheTrail of Tears." accompanied by my
painting, " Stands Proud !"
a telling portrait of an American Indian I encountered at a
powwow at Fort Quiatenon, in Lafayette, In
I am passionate about portraiture! I find humanity
intriguing, in all its variants of skin tones, eye shapes.,
hair textures, facial and body structures, as well as
personalities.
Life is a composition of fascinating ethnic and racial
distinctions and blends enhanced by adornment, dress,
lifestyle and traditions unique to each culture, with the
human face being the roadmap of its history. It is the
essence of this " ode " to life and living that compels my
creative juices to shift into overdrive.
Traveling extensively,I am inspired to try to capture the
flavor of an area, its landscape, its architecture and its
people. I always return from these explorations to different
countries zealously clutching a treasure trove of more
photographic and mental images than I can paint, or write
about, in three lifetimes.
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Art Education
Hudson River Valley Art Workshops, Greenville NY; Plein Air, and Studio Classes; Ned Mueller, Instructor
Indiana University/Purdue University, Satellite classes, Crown Point, IN
Northern Indiana Arts Association; Munster and Crown Point, IN
Michael Chelich's Studio of Fine Art, Hammond, IN
Hobart Arts League/Instructors; Wes Berrier, Gerrie Govert; Fred Holly; Mark Polomchak; Lady
Margaret Keplinger
Gallery Representations
18artists.com,Online Gallery
Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, IN
Tall Grass Arts Association and Gallery, Park Forest
54 Main Bistro and Gallery, Hobart, IN
Disciplines
Oil
Acrylic
Prismacolor
Selected Exhibitions
2008 Group Show, Lake County Fair, Crown Point, IN
* 1st Place,
Sweepstake Award for best Oil*
* Third Place Portrait in Oil*
2008 Illiana Artists Member Show, Hammond, IN
2008 Hobart Art
League Member's Exhibit, Hobart, IN
2008 Group Show
18artists.com, Active Arts Salon and Gallery,
Munster, IN
2008 Group Show 18artists.com, Vicker's Theater,
Three Oaks, MI
2007 Group Show 18artists.com, South Shore Art , Crown
Point, IN
2007 Senior Group Show, Hammond, IN * Honorable Mention*
2007 Illiana Artists Juried Exhibition, Chesterton, IN *
Honorable Mention*
2006 Group Show 18artists.com, Southern Shore Arts
Gallery, Michigan City,
2006 Chesterton Women's Club Annual GFWC
2005 Joint Exhibit Joanne Rayter/Beverley Topa, Hammond Public
Library, Hammond,IN
2005 Illiana Artists Members' Juried Show,Valparaiso Art Academy
and Gallery, Valparaiso,IN
2005 Chesterton Women's Club Annual GFWC
2004 Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
2003 Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
2002 Illiana Artists Annual Juried Exhibit,Gallery Northwest,
Indiana University, Gary,IN
2002 Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
2001 Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
2001 " SKIN " National Juried Exhibition, Union Street Gallery
Chicago Heights, IL
2001 Voght Visual Arts Center, 5th Annual Juried Exhibition,
Tinley Park, IL
2001 Chesterton Art Center Members Show,Harbart Gallery
Old School Community Center, Long Beach, IN
2001 Annual Juried Heartland Artists Regional Art Exhibits,
Plymouth, IN
2001 Market Street Studio, Nappanee, IN
2001 Show featuring 3 artists(Joanne Rayter,Nicoletta Filarski) at Kappa,Kappa; Kappa, Bazaar,Merrillville, IN
2001 Woods Mill Gallery, Deep River County Park, Hobart Arts
League, Hobart, IN
2002 Show featuring 3 artists ( Joanne Rayter, Nicoletta Filarski)at
Kappa, Kappa; Kappa Bazaar,Merrillville,IN
2000 Chesterton Women's Club Annual GFWC
2000 Annual Juried Heartland Artists Regional Art Exhibit,
Plymouth, IN
2000 Market Street Studio, Nappanee, IN
2000 Annual Juried Art Exhibition,The Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
2000 "Eclectic Indiana"- First Lady's Series, Governor's Mansion,
Indianapolis, IN
2000 WYIN, Channel 56, Fine Art and Furniture Auction and Show,
Hammond, IN
2000 Chesterton Art Comp, Chesterton Art Center, Chesterton, IN
2000 " The Times" Annual Juried Art Exhibition,The Art Barn, Valparaiso, IN
2000 Illiana Artists 5th Annual Juried Exhibition, Chesterton Art Center,
Chesterton, IN
2000 " connections" Regional Juried Exhibition; Oak Grove Retirement Village
De Motte, IN and Lilian Fendig Gallery, Rensselaer, IN
2000 Illiana Artists Exhibit Valparaiso University Law School, Valparaiso, IN
1995-2005 NIAA Substation/Hammond Public Library Joint Shows,
Hammond, IN
1999 Exhibit at " Lifestyles Gallery", Valparaiso, IN
1997-2006 Lake County Fair, Crown Point, IN
1997-2006 Illiana Artists Group Exhibit, Purdue University,Calumet Campus,
Hammond, IN
Solo Exhibits
2000-2006 Pappas Restaurant, Crown Point, IN
2001 Porter County Administration Building, Valparaiso, IN
Honors and Awards
2009 From the Edge
of the Prairie
"First Place " for Amanda
2008 Hobart
Art League Annual Juried Show "2nd Place"
2008 From the Edge of the
Prairie " Reader's Choice Award
for" Stands Proud "
2007 Illiana Artists Show "Honorable
Mention"
2005 Chesterton Woman's Club Exhibition, " Honorable Mention"
2005,2001,1999 NIAA/Hammond Public Library Annual Exhibit:
" Honorable Mention,
" Honorable Mention"
" First Place"
2000,2001 The Colored Pencil Society of America
" First Place" 3x
" Judge's Choice Award" 2x
2000 WYIN, Channel 56,Fine Art And Furniture Show
" Honorable Mention"
1999-2005 Lake County Fair, Crown Point, IN
" Best of Show" 2x
" Sweepstakes Rosettes" 4x
Numerous First Place Awards
Arts Organization Memberships( * current)
* Illiana Artists
* Chesterton Art Center/Association of Artists and Craftsmen/Porter County
* Hobart Arts League
South Shore Arts
Heartland Artists
* www.18artists.com
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