Biography -

 

Erica Konrad is a visual artist, living, working and creating on the traditional unceded territory of the Ktunaxa, Sinixt (Lakes), and Syilx (Okanagan) Nations, in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.  Her background is a formal University education in Environmental Studies, which has laid the foundation for her intense inspiration from the natural world.

 

Konrad is mostly self taught, working in oil, acrylic and encaustic, having attended international workshops on encaustic and local and provincial courses on painting. She has taught children earth art, teenagers painting and adults encaustic. 

 

When not painting, she is engaged in supporting other artists. Konrad founded and runs The Narrows Art Retreat - an Artist Residency centre, focussing on artist residencies, workshops and gatherings to promote and encourage artistic innovation.

 

She maintains an active studio practice creating artwork for public and private collections.

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Artist Statement -

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Connection:  In my work, I aim to build an experience that is deeply felt. Much of my inspiration comes from the natural world and centres around the general theme of finding balance within this realm. My work is a tension between the built environment, and nature.  In my work, I employ mark making, scratches, lines, while hiding and revealing layers to represent the traces humans leave behind. My hope is that the viewer gains a glimpse into my internal thoughts, which is simultaneously light hearted and harsh, and prompts them to find their own definition to the work.

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Surrender:  For me, making art is a letting go, a relinquishment of ideas and expectations. Working intuitively, with limited self censoring is the first surrender, bringing deep humility and patience to the painting process.  I believe an important aspect of the creative process is the satisfying work of process itself. Whether using acrylic, or the traditional medium of encaustic, the diversity and capability of the medium lends itself to innovation end experimentation in a contemporary form. The excitement from the unpredictability of mixed media and wax, whether it be through smooth, luminous paintings, manipulated wax sculpture or thick and textured mixed media pieces, the process itself of making art, regardless of the medium, draws me back into the studio each day.