Seeking Solace Painting

Born near Philadelphia, PA, Colleen studied drawing and painting at Moravian College and then continued her studies at Fleisher Art Memorial for the next 15+ years. While she was trained in various mediums including formal oil painting, acrylic painting is her passion. She loves experimenting with the textures of various mediums and how color can appear rich yet nuanced on the canvas. Her work focuses on abstract color field paintings and is meant to encourage the viewer to look beyond the horizon and contemplate the forces of nature. Inspiration for her work comes from studying the color field paintings of Mark Rothko and the minimalist paintings of Agnes Martin. Colleen exhibits her work across the United States and her work is part of private collections internationally. In 2000, she won Best of Show at Moravian College in their Celebrating Women show. In 2013, she won first place for her painting "Smoky Horizon" at The Plastic Club Gallery in Philadelphia, PA which was jurored by Karen Baumeister. In 2014, she won first place for her painting "Puddle Dance" at Fleisher Art Memorial, jurored by Shelley Langdale, Associate Curator, Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 2017, she received Honorable Mention for her painting "Untitled" at Fleisher Art Memorial. In 2018, she received second place for her painting "Going Coastal" at Fleisher Art Memorial, jurored by Sophia Sanders. Colleen believes that art is something that comes from within and is to be shared with the community. When not exhibiting her paintings or teaching classes locally, she paints in her home studio located near Philadelphia, PA.