I’m attracted to the beauty of our natural world—in all its shapes, colors, movement and change of seasons. As an intuitive painter, this awe of nature comes through in my work. While painting, I’m always thinking about shapes, lines, color and their interrelationship. I’m searching to see if something dynamic is starting to happen. I like to use commonly found materials in ways other than their intended uses. For example, spray paint over dried popcorn, beans and open weave fabric to create a reverse image. I use acrylics because it allows me to apply translucent and opaque layers. My marks are made with chalk, graphite, water pastels and other tools to give my work substance with a little mystery. I favor the beauty of a simple palette to create a sense of elusive quiet. My work has a delicate, subtle, yet underlying strength. It’s my respect and wonderment for nature in its ever-changing and fleeting moments that I find inspiration and balance in my own life cycle.

I’ve painted off and on throughout my life but it’s been a priority since 2020. At an early age, I had access to art materials because my mother and paternal-grandmother were both hobby artists. I took a few art classes in high school and found watercolor to be my favorite medium. I think that influence still shows in my work today. In college, I graduated with a degree in social work and believe there is a relationship to both professions and how they share an emotional action. The same sense of observation and sensitivity come into play.

Over the years, experimenting gave me new ways to express myself. In the mid-90s I developed my paper cuts using textured and hand-made papers to cut out as few lines as possible with the hope of capturing the essence of an image. The female form was my primary muse. I received an enthusiastic response for this work and sold the pieces at a local art and home furnishings store. In addition, Sunrise Greetings reproduced some of the images as greeting cards. In the early 2000s, I did faux finishes and decorative wall painting. It was here that I learned to put down layers creating a patina and subtle color change. Abstract painting came in 2018 and initially I found the transition difficult. It wasn’t until I started to think differently about shapes that I could work more freely. In abstract painting you’re making lines and shapes simultaneously unlike representational work where the lines or drawing usually comes first and then paint is introduced. My home in Bloomington, IN, influences my work. I have paintings in private and public collections and frequently show in juried exhibitions. I am represented by Candita Clayton Gallery in East Greenwich, RI. A list of past exhibits and accomplishments can be found on my events page.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my artwork and to learn a little bit about my story. If you would like to know more, please click on my contact page and leave me a note.

Kindly,

Linda Sievers