artist of the week :: ann strassman

i know it seems obvious that i would like ann strassman's work - bold portraits on found surfaces. its an easy fit for me - but what i find interesting about her work is the inclusion of the found markings on the boxes. she incorporates the stickers, labels, and printed words into the pieces in interesting ways. its something ive never thought of before.

beyond that, the marks she makes are quite beautiful. it seems that she studied the paintings of alberto giacometti.

here is her artist statement from 2007:
"a riot of pigment applied with an athletic force-coming together to create life.
there are no metaphors-just the magic of paint. "

see more of ann's work at the kidder smith gallery