Karen Alberti
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Alberti_Karen_Playtime_40.7 x 50.8 cm_acrylic on canvas
Alberti_Karen_Bark curiosity_40.7 x 50.8 cm_acrylic on canvas
Alberti_Karen_Shine a light_40.7 x 50.8 cm_acrylic on canvas
Alberti_Karen_Stand tall_40.7 x 50.8 cm_acrylic on canvas
Alberti_Karen_Rising up_40.7 x 50.8 cm_acrylic on canvas
Biography
Karen Alberti, a visual artist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has nurtured a lifelong passion for drawing and painting. From an early age, her artistic inclinations were evident, though they took a backseat during her high school years when she was encouraged to pursue a more academic path. Despite setting aside her creative pursuits, Karen's fascination with art endured, sparked anew by captivating courses in Art History during her undergraduate studies.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan, Karen gradually found her way back to art. While working as an administrative assistant, she seized opportunities to attend numerous art classes and workshops, immersing herself once again in the creative world. Her involvement with the Ann Arbor Women Artists group provided an outlet to showcase her work in various exhibits, fostering her growth as an artist.
In recent years, Karen has deepened her artistic practice through online courses offered by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Walk the Arts in Ottawa, Canada. Now retired, she dedicates herself fully to her artistic evolution. With a renewed focus and an adventurous spirit, Karen continues to explore and refine her unique creative voice.
Statement
Treeness
Trees, trunks, branches, and roots are my current subjects. I work primarily with acrylic paints and also use some drawing tools such as pencil, ink and crayon. I will use mixed media and collage at times as my projects evolve.
My observations of trees on my walks with my dog have led me to appreciate trees in new ways. Their surfaces are all different. Some have nooks and crannies, some have creases, some are crooked, some straight, some healthy, and some sick. In my paintings I play with these forms and surfaces, using color and abstraction to magnify these often overlooked gems of our environment.
Fauvism, Abstract and German Expressionism, and Surrealism are important to my research as I expand my awareness of the importance of nature in my life. I immerse myself in artists’ works, past and present, finding inspiration that shapes and enriches my process.
My approach begins with the production of quick, gestural sketches—intuitive responses to objects, scenery, or photographs I have taken. From these sketches I begin painting and deciphering the marks on my canvas. While painting I am attracted to colors based on an emotional connection rather than as a realistic representation. My work evolves on its own path to completion.
Recently I had the pleasure of going on a forest bathing walk. Also a short class on, ecocreativity has expanded my awareness of the connections we have with nature. Flora and fauna and humans are interconnected in our ecosystem. We are dependent on each other for survival. Through my painting I am gaining a deeper understanding of the spiritual connection I have to nature and the world. By creating these paintings I am exploring my imagination, appreciation of nature, spiritualality, and understanding of myself.