Influenced by decades trekking the hills of Northern California,
painting its ever-beguiling beauty, my studio abstracts reflect this continuing
fascination with color and atmosphere. I often approach a painting by first
choosing a color that attracts me, mix it with linseed oil and thinner until the
right consistency and then pour an expanse of this color onto the canvas.
Adding and/or subtracting further colors intuitively, composing with
relationships between the colors and shapes, possibly adding lines to clarify
the composition, I continue with the painting until some inner voice says,
“That’s enough for today. Stop while you’re ahead.”
Another approach, considerably more physical--if I want to express an emotion,
I start with vigorous lines. Repetition and pressure create areas of intensity.
The direction and movement of the lines can be very satisfying and fill the
space quickly. It can be equally satisfying to scrape off or blur lines to create
a cohesive image. The continuing intellectual and emotional challenge of
abstraction, its visually exciting history, the opportunities for individuality,
and the gifts of surprise offered by the paint, keep me engaged as
an abstract painter.
Public Collections
Marin Academy Library, San Rafael CA
Publications
Spirit of Drawing, Connie Smith Siegel.
Spirit of Color, Connie Smith Siegel.
The Pen Woman Magazine, National League of American Pen Women,
Summer 2014.
Pen Women website, June 2, 2021, Art of the Week, Featured Art: Momentum
Associations
Golden Gate Marin Artists, National League of American Pen Women
Workshops
Drawing and color with Connie Smith Siegel
Painting with Chester Arnold, Mel Adamson, Mark Grieve, Bernard Healey, and
Michael Azgour
Formal education
College of Marin, Kentfield, CA (Painting)
California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA (Graphic Design)
City College of San Francisco (Professional Art)
John Abbott College, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Fine Art)
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (Painting)