Linda Sievers
Artist based in Bloomington, IN
ABOUT
Inspired by family members, Linda’s art journey started at an early age. She fondly recalls seeing her mother and paternal-grandmother painting. When she was nine years old, Linda took her first art class. In high school she found watercolor to be a favorite medium and that influence still shows in her mixed media work today. Linda graduated from college with a degree in social work and feels strongly that both professions share an emotional action. The same sense of observation and sensitivity come into play.
Through the years Linda has worked in various mediums. In the mid-1990s, textured and hand-made papers were used to create papercuts. As few lines as possible were cut into the paper with the hope of capturing the essence of an image. The female form was the primary muse. While doing decorative wall and faux finishes, she learned to create layers of patina with subtle color changes. Linda started painting abstracts in 2018 and initially found the transition difficult. She explained, “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 comes first and then paint is introduced.” Linda’s home in Bloomington, IN, influences her work. Her paintings are in public and private collections and she shows regularly in juried shows.
ARTIST STATEMENT
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 and beans and open weave fabric to create a reverse image. I use acrylics because it allows me to apply translucent and opaque layers. I make marks with chalk, graphite, water pastels and other tools to give my work depth and a little mystery. I explore the elusive quiet within and attempt to move it outwardly. There are fewer layers, my tracks can be seen, there’s a vulnerability. I let the primed canvas show through, I like the openness of it, others might find it disconcerting. I favor the beauty of a limited palette. My work has a soft, 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.
Website: https://sieversartstudio.com/
Instagram: @lindasieversstudio