Onna Voellmer
Artist …distilling the experience of place and memory into the visual poetry of shapes and marks
Daydreams and Apple Trees
Cattails and Memories
My Desert is Blue and Gold
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Madrid, NM
Statement
My work touches on that space between “place” and “self”—two concepts that on one hand are concrete and on the other hand are elusive. The reciprocal relationship between place and self forms the core of my inspiration. My work is both meditative and literal, taking on the unique feel of being in a landscape—that feeling of space, the sun warming your skin, memories that are awoken by the scents, the sound of a bee nearby, the blurry flash of a bird that just passes your gaze. My work is a meditation on space and balance—that distills the experience of place and memory into the visual poetry of shapes and marks.
Bio
I’ve been interpreting the world with shapes and texture since I could sit up on my own and hold a crayon in my hand—my mother was an artist and would set me beside her while she painted—to me, her world was made of landscapes and portraits—and this is the imagery (nature and humans) that shaped the way I see the world.
I spent the first half of my life immersed in the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest surrounded by the tall trees and the giant volcanoes of the Cascade Range. This early connection to nature and place has formed the core of my work: a weaving of place and self and the inherent interconnection between them. It is a meditation on space and balance that distills the experience of place and memory into the visual poetry of shapes and marks.
I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2000, in both painting and sculpture. My formal studies include fine arts, geography, soil science, and anthropology. My work has been exhibited nationally, and has found homes with collectors nationally and internationally. Collections include the Element Hotel by Marriot in Sedona Arizona, Baron Properties in Phoenix Arizona, Montana Wilderness Association in Helena Montana, and Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland Washington. My work was awarded the Grand Prize in the 18th Annual Artlink Juried Competition at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. I currently reside in Santa Fe County, NM, immersed in the gentle beauty and magic of northern New Mexico.
Media
2-D, Painting (all materials)
