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Deirdre Schanen grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan in the small town of Port Washington, Wisconsin. This early influence informs much of her work. "Many of my paintings are about the color, silence and space of the early morning hours on Lake Michigan. They explore the tension of the lake's serene vastness with the complex confusion of the rocks and detritus washed up upon its shores.

My canvases are not planned but develop while I work on them. I never know how my experiences will be expressed in my finished painting. I begin with pencil or ink markings and paint drips. I continue to add layer after layer of glaze, paint and markings. The underpainting is as important to me as the final layer of paint. Through these spontaneous interactions I perform a dance with my canvas."