Bio
Originally from southcentral Pennsylvania, I spent a lot of time growing up in both Seaside Heights, New Jersey and Pa Dutch country depending on my parents' work. I have a BA in Studio Art/Art History from the University of Pittsburgh, 1986. I have had 4 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous juried and nonjuried group exhibitions since then. In 1999 I received the Judges Citation Award from WITF Gallery 33 On The Air. I took some time off to raise my family and have now relaunched my career. Current member of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League.
I work primarily in Expressionist oils and pastels. My subjects include landscapes, architectural themes, animal and historical themes.
My primary influences have been my mentors while in college-Paul Binai, Ken Batista, James P. Nelson, Paul Glabicki, Girts Purins, Joseph Shepler, and Phil Rostek. I will always be grateful for their guidance. German Expressionism, the post-Impressionists, and Japanese woodblock prints, esp. artists like Whistler, Cezanne, Wolf Kahn, Hopper, F. Church, among others. There are some images that I have copyrighted under my maiden name of Kohr, they are not by someone else.
Currently working on a series of oils & pastels exploring possibilities and uncertainties as we travel through our day to day lives as reflected in our response to our surroundings. I often include a feeling of the intangible within a place, thing, or animal. It can be beauty, awareness of past events and their effects on the community consciousness, or simply a sense of being.The examination of the effects of mental illness is another focal point.
