Statement

I work almost exclusively in pastels, though I sometimes experiment with watermedia for underpainting to create a toned surface and to add more depth or interest to a painting. Their colors and refractive quality intrigue me and I am constantly amazed and fascinated by the way one can mix colors through layering, strokes and cross hatching to give a certain iridescence to the work.

I strive to capture the essence of the subject, tell a story, and convey a mood, a feeling, or a moment in time. No matter how much I plan a painting, once I begin, it becomes an emotional and reactionary process. Though I have done some animals, florals, still life, and landscapes, the majority of my work is figurative. While I love to paint everything and anything, people move me most.

My emotional connection with the subject matter, my love of color, my nervous energy, and my technique result in paintings that are consistently unique and yet uniquely my own.

Recent Awards and Exhibitions
2010
The Next Picture Show - Everything's Coming Up Roses
    Van Gogh's Coneflower - 1st place Painting/Drawing
    All In A Row
    Beauty behind Bars
International Association of Pastel Societies
    Qualified for Master Circle Award
Wichita Art Center - Pastel National 2010
    Paris Bus Stop (diptych)
Northwest Area Arts Council - Women's Work 2010
    Boots and Bracelet
    Tired Young Ballerina
International Association of Pastel Societies
    15th Juried Exhibition, Brea, California, Jan-Mar
    Determination
    Lady of the Tramps - honorable mention
Richeson 75- Pastels 2010, finalists and meritorious entries
    I AM the Love of HER Life, finalist
    Lady of the Tramps, finalist
    Pockets Full, finalist
2009
Arkansas Pastel Society, 3rd National Exhibition "Reflection in Pastel"
One of A Kind Show, Merchandise Mart, Chicago
Ukrainian National Museum, Chicago, IL - November, Solo Exhibition
Koehline Museum of Art,
  "Down to There: Women and Their Relationship to Hair"
International Association of Pastel Societies
   14th Juried Exhibition - Web Show 2009/2010
Maryland Pastel Society"s "Shades of Pastel" National Exhibition 2009
       Lady of the Tramps - merit award
Chicago Botanical Gardens Student Art Show
North Shore Art League Annual Members' Show
Old Courthouse Art Center - Real People 2009
Richeson 75 - Figure/Portrait 2009, meritorious entries
Woman Made Gallery - Annual Juried Members' Show
Northbrook Public Library -July, Solo Exhibition
The Next Picture Show, Farms and Barns
The Next Picture Show, A River Runs Through It
     The Flight of the White Heron - honorable mention
the Art Center Highland Park - Garden Party, a juried exhibition
International Association of Pastel Societies !3th Juried Exhibition
The Next Picture Show - Dos Equis-XX: Women's Juried Exhibition
     The Violinist - 1st place in show
Richeson 75 - Small Works 2009, meritoriuos entries
Pastel Journal - Pastel 100, April 2009 issue
     Carrots, Cauliflowers and More - honorable mention, Still Life category
Austin Pastel Society Member Show
     Lunch Landing - 1st place Wildlife/Animal category
Chicago Pastel Painters Biennial National Juried Exhibition - Pastels Chicago 2009
     Solitude , Babusia in Pink 1 - 2nd place in show
Richeson 75 - Pastels 2009 , finalist and meritotious entries
2008
The Next Picture Show - Rhythm and Blues
     Lancers' Dance - honorable mention
International Association of Pastel Societies
  12th Exhibition - Web Show -2008/2009
Richeson 75 - Still Life and Floral 2008, finalist and meritotious entries
Degas Pastel Society - 12th Biennial Exhibition
Northbrook Public Library 6th Annual Juried Art Show -
  Caught in the Act
North Shore Art League, Annual Members' Show
Richeson 75 - Portrait and Figure 2008, meritorious entry
Municipal Art League of Chicago, Biennial Midwest Regional 2008
Chicago Pastel Painters, Biennial Members Show
      If Looks Could.... - Sanford Award
Austin Pastel Society Members Show
     Electrician's Apprentice - 3rd place portrait category
2007
Great Lakes Pastel Society Biennial Members Show
WomanMade Gallery, In Praise of Physical Labor

Publications
Chicago Fine Arts Examiner, December 9, 2009 examiner.com
SVOBODA, Ukrainian Weekly Newspaper, November 6, 2009
Ukrainian Word, Ukrainian Weekly, October 29 2009
    www.ukrslovo.net
American Artist, October 2009
Pastel Journal, April 2009
Richeson 75 International
    Figure and Portrait 2009, 2008
    Pastel 2010, 2009
    Small Works 2009
    Still Life 2008
Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble
    2007 European Concert Tour poster and program cover
    http://www.classicalmovements.com/clie_arts_org.htm
  
Affiliations
Chicago Pastel Painters, Great Lakes Pastel Society,
Austin Pastel Society, Pastel Society of the West Coast
Womanmade Gallery, Chicago Artist Coalition, Evanston Art Center,
the North Shore Art League, The Next Picture Show
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art

Representation
The Art Stop Gallery, 5 S. La Grange Road, La Grange, Il 60025

Education
Bachelor of Architecture 1979
Illinois Institute of Technology
   Ongoing
Gay Risebourough Studio - October 2005 to December 2009
Evanston Art Center - September 2007 to 2008 - various classes
North Shore Art League -spring 2008 to June 2009
Workshops - November 2006 to present
S.Ogilvie, R. Monsma, R. McKinley, M. Dyer, G. Biolchini,
J. Wright, K. Worm, D. Dawson, B. Schneider