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artist statement, media, and inspiration.
Statement
Rebecca E. Volkmann
My work is inspired by dreams, poetry, relationships, and place as a woman and creator. My personal narrative sometimes depicts the interplay between women and men, but most importantly in my view the strength of these women as unique characters. In most cases, each figure that I depict is created intuitively and from my imagination. My work is based in experimentation and is by nature intuitive. My focus is on careful observation and what comes out in the painting itself through color, layering, and texture. The most difficult risk is to not be afraid to work over the original image, yet show remnants of what once lay beneath.
The theme of many of these new works is passion, distance and closeness, and loss. I have been investigating the intimate, seductive, and raw energy of love and life. There is life in dreams, intuition, and exploration with the painting process.
Throughout this process, I have maintained a love of portraiture whether from life or imagined. While in Arizona the past three years, I have painted portraits of family members from photographic portraits that I have taken of them. However and more, so the intuitive process allows for creation of imagined portraits of strong, female figures.
My Inspiration
Memory, dreams, and family history all intertwine to create my personal narrative.
I truly love to paint intuitively, so I wait to see what will emerge in the first stages/layers of painting or drawing . Recently, I have been using my own photos both portraits and images from nature around me to inspire my compositions and/or subject matter.
My Media
My primary materials currently are water based including acrylic, watercolor, and inks. I have experimented with many different mediums, such as clay, acrylics, oils, collage, and pastels. I believe that working in a single medium is restrictive to my artistic process. Each idea manifests in its own individual style.
Events and exhibitions
Exhibitions:
2022-2023, ArtUpCLOSE, Digital Representation, New York, NY.
2022, September, Unfolding Stories, Fondazione Luciana Matalon, Foro Buonaparte, Milan Italy.
2022, August-September, Members Open Exhibit, Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac, AZ.
2022, July, Beyond Sight, Nartwork, Florence, Italy.
2022, May, Les Petits Eclairs, MFEventi, Rome, Italy
2022, April, Artsy, Digital Representation, New York, NY.
2022, March, “Distinctive Marks, Spazio SV, Nartwork, Venice, Italy.
2022, January, “Arizona Aqueous”, Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac, Arizona.
2021, December, “Dynamic Correspondence”, Nartwork, Bologna, Italy.
2021, December, “Sacrifice”, Mads Milano Gallery, Milan, Italy and Fuerte Ventura, Spain.
2021, September, “DE.MO-Lifestyle”, Group Exhibition, Milan, Italy and Fuerteventura, Spain.
2021, September, "Vibes", Nartwork at Castel Nuovo (Maschio Angio
ino) in Naples, Italy.
2021, August, Summer Salon, All Art + Series, Van der Plas Gallery, New York, NY
2021, June, Inside, Fondazione Luciana Matalon, Nartworks, Milan, Italy.
2021, April, Romantica, Group Show, Galleria M.A.D.S Milano, Milan, Italy.
2021, April, Daydreaming, Galleria Ess&Rre- Lungomare Duca degli Abruzzi, Group Show, Rome, Italy.
2021, March-April, A Visual Culture, Group Show, Van der Plas Gallery, New York, NY.
2021, February, Love Your Body, Group Show, Galleria Mads Milano , Milan, Italy.
2021, February, Something Beautiful, Group Show, Galleria La Pigna - Palazzo Maffei Marescotti, Rome, Italy.
2021, January, Lights for the Future,Corriere dell ’Arte Magazine, Online Exhibition and Article, Turin,Italy
2020, November, Vor Kunst, Group Show, Van der Plas Gallery, Group Show,NY, NY.
2020, October, Quo Vadis, Group Show, Van der Plas Gallery, Group Show,NY, NY.
2020, August, Under the Mask, Group Show, Van der Plas Gallery, NY, NY.
2020, Upcoming and Virtual: , New York Art Center, NY, NY.
2020, March, A Changing Landscape-The Female Eye, Group Show, Van der Plas Gallery, NY, NY.
2019, Solo, Art in the Palisades Post Office, Washington, DC.
2018, SPACES, Noma, Group Show.
2017, RAW Artists DC, Howard Theater, group exhibition.
2016, RAW Artists DC, Howard Theater, group exhibition.
2014, Solo, Art in the Palisades, Palisades Post Office window display.
2013 Solo, Art in the Palisades, Palisades Post Office window display.
2007 Solo, Art in the Palisades, Palisades Post Office window display.
2004 McLean Project for The Arts, "reference:The Question of Abstract Art", group show
2004 Solo, Art in the Palisades, Palisades Post Office window display.
2004 Corcoran College of Art + Design, Corcoran Museum's Gallery One, All Senior Show.
2004 Corcoran College of Art + Design, Corcoran Museum's Hemicycle Gallery, Senior Thesis Exhibition.
2004 3 South Gallery, Baltimore, MD, "Together with U", 2004 Corcoran BFA Candidates Show.
2003 Corcoran College of Art + Design, Fall semester Senior Preview Show White Walls student gallery.
2003 Corcoran College of Art + Design, Fall semester Senior Proposal Show White Walls student gallery.
2003 Art in the Palisades, Palisades Post Office window display, Show curated by Sheila Rotner.
2002 Glen Echo Park-National Park Service, Labor Day Art Show, Glen Echo, MD.
2001 Absolute Arts/ Worldwide Arts Resources. A website showcasing international artists.
2001 Glen Echo Park-National Park Service, Labor Day Art Show sponsored show in Glen Echo, MD.
2000 One Hundred Dollar Art Sale, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC.
2000 Art-O-Matic. Washington, DC
1999 Project Space. A group exhibition Washington, DC.
1998 Artspace. Corporate presentations of my artwork ,Washington, DC.
1997 South Shore Cultural Center. "Women of Vision", a group show sponsored by the Chicago Park District.
1997 Corcoran College of Art + Design. Group Show at the Georgetown facility
1996 Corcoran College of Art + Design. "80 Works" exhibit.
1994 Near Northwest Arts Council. "Sacred Memories". Exhibit of regional women artists. Chicago, IL.
1994 Caffe Trevi. Group exhibit of local artists and employees. Chicago, IL.
1993 Special Love, a benefit exhibit/auction for the Robert Taylor Housing Project Art Center. Chicago, IL.
1991 Open Studio Exhibition. In my storefront studio space in Chicago, IL.
1990 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. "Pinholes", a photography class exhibit.
1988 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. First Year Show. Two mixed media pieces exhibited.
**Work exhibited online currently with ETSY, Instagram, and Facebook.