Artist Reception: Fri, 7.5 // 5-8pm

New beginnings are powerful. Paula and Margaret believe that embracing change leads to growth. As painters, they see the journey ahead like a distant horizon, always striving to create new work and move forward. They value honesty and authenticity, stretching beyond past successes, sometimes failing but always learning and growing.

Paula communicates both the conscious and unconscious through her art, finding passion in both the process and the finished piece. She views art as a way to connect with others and express hope and gratitude. Margaret, on the other hand, is exploring new techniques and concepts, using abstraction to engage viewers’ personal interpretations.

Both artists are grateful for new possibilities and challenges, embracing change as a constant that propels life in a positive direction.

I started painting and drawing at an early age. There were always paint brushes and paints around my home growing up. Attending the University of Iowa State allowed me to explore many art mediums and I found a passion for mixed media, texture, and painting. I have always been inspired by nature and abstract art.

When I paint I get lost in the process and as I paint layer after layer revealing a finished piece. The exploration of the paint is unconscious and time stands still. Getting absorbed in the process of painting is tricky and awkward at first but then a solution comes to the surface producing paintings and images with lots of layers and contrast. I find the process of painting and adding textures to my artwork magical and transformative.

Being authentic and honest in my painting process is important to me. When a painting emerges it is quite satisfying and some of it is planned and some of it just happens naturally. Layers in my paintings represent nature and feelings in my paintings. When the observer of my paintings sees something else portrayed in my art work I appreciate that. Art is magical, spontaneous, and from the heart.

Art connects us as human beings. That connectedness makes us Human and we can share all of the magical possibilities of art and life.

I have been an art educator for over 25 years! Teaching in Nebraska and Iowa has given me lot of chances to inspire students with their art making and they have inspired me too!

Bio  

I am a native Iowan and have been drawing and painting for over 40 years. I attended the  University of Iowa School of Fine Arts from 1986-1989. After raising three beautiful daughters,  I began actively exhibiting my work in 2010. I work in both oil & acrylic on canvas.  

I paint cityscapes, focusing on the architecture, light and life moving around it. My landscapes  tend to be more atmospheric and abstract.  

Artist Statement  

My eye is drawn to light and shadow, line and pattern. Architecture and street traffic provide me  with all these elements as well as solid forms in space with dynamic movement and opportunities  for abstraction. I am most influenced by impressionists (historic & contemporary) whose  intention is to capture their own time and place through painting.  

 In my current landscapes, I attempt to hover between impressionism & abstraction in order to  capture a mood with light and color, allowing the viewer to interact and imagine what is there.