Online Residency 2023

 

Bio

Christine Olmstead is a conceptual and abstract mixed-media artist based in Northern Virginia. Her works have been widely exhibited across the United States since she released her first collection in 2015. Olmstead describes her paintings as “internal landscapes” that attempt to give tangible form to inner emotions and universal experiences that include unbridled joy, grief, and heartbreak. She produces her works through a meditative process and devotes particular attention to movement, light, color, and sound. Olmstead views her paintings as restorative icons that remind viewers to seek peace and promote healing in their lives. Olmstead was named a 2022 Repaint History winner and recognized by Gillian Jason gallery for her professional achievements. She recently completed her first international residency in Orquevaux, France and looks forward to sharing more personal and figurative works in 2023.

 

Artist Statement

I use mixed media to create sweeping abstract paintings that refract light and construct shadows. By infusing metallics, including 24k gold leaf, 18k rose gold, and genuine silver leaf, into my works, I am able to manipulate the luster of natural objects and incorporate greater depth and dimension into my pieces. My paintings reflect my experience of synesthesia and animate internal feelings and sensations.

My recent series, “A Little Bit More,” speaks to an earlier collection titled, “There Will Be More,” which I forged back in 2020, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. During a moment of unimaginable loss, I wanted to produce works that could serve as reminders of play, light, and hope. In 2021 I created a series titled, “It Will Only Hurt A Little” in response to overwhelming loss of love and life that personally occurred in my life. My 2022 series provides an epilogue to “There Will Be More,” by challenging my previous optimism and capturing the compounding grief and collective trauma of the global crisis.

Although I have mainly produced paintings throughout my career, I began to explore installation and public art in 2021, with a series called “Synthetic Bodies”. In this series, I no longer rely on canvas and instead utilize light fabric as my painting surface. When installed, these paintings become dynamic objects that take on a greater sense of whimsy and chance as they ripple through the air. Characterized by larger and more concentrated deposits of gilding paint and bright colors, these paintings celebrate a sense of wonder and fantasy. They provide an impression of how I experience music through multiple senses. Each piece represents the visions and shapes that I see while listening to specific measures of Debussy’s “Clair de lune.” The series is meant to be experienced through an audiovisual installation. In the coming months, I aim to experiment with more interactive public works and embrace collaborative opportunities with other artists and makers.

 

Links

https://christineolmstead.com/

Instagram @christineolmstead