Allison Syvertsen

allison syvertsen

I enjoy working from real locations and objects – the intricacy of actual places, and the plays of shadow and reflected color across form, present more interesting and unexpected compositions than I could imagine on my own. I like looking carefully at my surroundings, trying to be open to finding something unexpectedly beautiful in a certain perfect alignment, or with the potential to become something more personal. I usually search for subjects around my neighborhood, but when weather and unwanted attention drive me indoors, I work from window views or sketches or, more recently, still life objects. I find that my concerns are very much the same, whether I am working outdoors or in – deciding how to frame my vision, finding surprising flecks of color and interesting intersections of form…always looking for that way into the work, when it doesn’t feel like I’m strictly copying the reality in front of me but allowing the painting to become a world of its own. In its creation, my plein air work is marked by an energy and a kind of stress that drives me, as I work quickly to capture the light and details I need while being exposed to the hazards of working outdoors. The pieces that I make in my home feel slower and sometimes more meditative in their creation because I am not tied to particular hours or to places that are owned or populated by other people. Especially now, with heightened tensions during this time of pandemic, I find it peaceful to work quietly by myself in my studio, often during evening hours, to look for what is meaningful and miraculous in everyday places and things.

Studio Window (April), gouache on paper, 12 5/8" x 5 5/8" Available