Sin + Make Magic is an artistic journey fueled by the enchanting realms of magic, igniting the flames of inner and physical resilience. Continue reading
Sin + Control series
Sin + Control draws inspiration from personal experiences and ideas involving the body and movement. The series reflects the emotions, passions, and intimate stories that I hold dear to my heart. Continue reading
Artist Studies
Since working on large canvas paintings, I have found the need to work on more immediate images beyond small sketches in preparation for future paintings.
Unfortunately, many of these were destroyed because of my lack of experience with the pastel medium and protective sprays on black paper. I am completely heartbroken but decided to share these pieces as reproduction prints so as to keep them alive and enjoyed. I do intend to take some of these images further into large canvas work at some point.
Large Canvas Paintings
This body of work began from having a series of hypnagogic hallucinations. Waking up and seeing projections of my dream state with my eyes open in complete darkness. The figures appear to be in black and white with shards and prisms of colorful light reflecting into rainbow patterns, drips, lines and bubbles. The figures are visibly in pain and reaching out, terrified and saddened. Their mouths forming silent screams and appear to be aging and distorting before my eyes. I struggle to see clearly in the darkness as these images break up, fade in and out and often become too dark to see. Often, they appear to be wearing circus and religious garb or nothing at all, looking fragile, slow and have no distinct gender. I am still working out these visuals and concepts within my subconscious, combined with my interests in historical and cultural traditions within societies which both separate and unite humanity. The insertion of various elements from my life experiences, places, memories, literature and the arts also make their way throughout. Working on unprimed canvas has given me both the tactile experience of building my surface from raw cloth while forcing the paint into the canvas, as well as the quality of color, light and the darkness in my visions. Materials used are acrylic, watercolor, charcoal and pastel.
Sin + Make It Fashion XXX series
Sin + Make It Fashion XXX is a series I created from my admiration of fashion photography and the fashion industry. My appreciation is for the creation of clothing as artform, particularly high fashion and the incredible gifts of the photographers and stylists collaborating to make the designer’s full vision come alive. As a native New Yorker, fashion has always been on my radar, the energy and mood this city gives to the industry and to its street fashion is so relevant to the art it inspires. Continue reading
Teaching
As a teaching artist, I offer a wide selection art programs for children of all ages in various locations.
- Art Lab – focusing on printmaking & abstract painting. Class styles include summer art camps, workshops, intensive art study programs
- NYC Public Schools – “artist in residence” program for 4+ weeks that complements official school curriculum
- Home classes – hourly and package rates available
Have a look at my resume
Currently all classes have been affected by the pandemic, so please contact me for availability.
Liza Lou – Color Field… “Field of Togetherness”
Art..
Truth.. There is something that the viewer no matter how successful the message is delivered thru the work cannot experience, and that is the experience of the process.
Then we have Color Field by Liza Lou. I love that this artist brought in other people to produce this work being that it has so much to do with “uncelebrated labor.” Most of the time artists work alone. Our concepts are so internal and personal. Our experience with the process is solely our own. This art celebrates labor, celebrates the attention to the process of making something. That is why now when I look at this piece I find so much joy and happiness. I feel the togetherness of strangers being civilized and human to one another. The stories they share.. The bonding they experienced through process.. As an artist it reminds me that even when the viewer doesn’t understand what it is viewing.. well it doesnt even always matter. If people don’t take the time to understand what is presented in front of them well it is truly their loss!
Thank you Liza Lou! heart emoticon #lizalou #colorfield #lizalouartist
New Class Workshop for Fall – Creative Sketchbook – Paint & Pens
Just Added! New For Fall!
Creative Sketchbook – Paint & Pens
4 to 6 week workshop (meets once a week)
Learn simple exercises for releasing creative inhibitions in your sketchbook. Practice with pens and paint learning then how to lose control and gain control or your imagery. I guarantee you will be hooked! This is a great way to get comfortable with paint, color palettes and ink while training your eye and mind to see things differently. We will discuss how to take these exercises and work them into larger paintings and finished pieces of work!
See all my workshops and classes available here https://mariaalekseevart.com/classes
Putting power into the magic wand of an artist! Teaching color
Working with color for most artists is the foundation of our work. Color dictates the tone, mood and message of your concepts and ideas. It is one of the first elements in a piece that can capture the viewer even before one starts to think about what they are seeing. It can transform separate pieces into one, it can create light, dimension, emotion, language and memories. For artists particularly ones in the beginning stages of their career this can be the making or breaking of your work.
As a teaching artist it is my absolute favorite thing to teach. I feel as though I am giving my students the powers to their magic wand! I teach color mixing and theory to students of all ages and stages in their work. I truly feel it is beneficial to all artists to take a step back and work just on color.
My younger students are engaged and excited as the lesson progresses. They find it fun and challenging to create an endless color palette from their primary colors. While my adult students sometimes forget what they may already know and may have slipped back in their mind, often from deeply concentrating on concepts and ideas during their struggles to perfect their images. I have several techniques and practices I teach; how to mix paint, making a variety of colors without breaking the bank, basic colors vs. intermediate/sophisticated colors and paint, choosing color palettes, and practicing, cataloging and creating a color journal for reference. For the more advanced student I go further in-depth with advanced color palettes and tubes and tools one should have in their toolbox, as well as mediums, paint types, brands and surfaces. My love for art, art materials and teaching are a perfect combination for a winning lesson in color!
Private lessons in my studio or your home are available.
Contact me if you are interested. Lessons are with acrylic paint.
Price is based on individual students. (place, materials to be covered, length of lessons etc)