Carole Bleistein


Passion in Motion #2
collage, sumi ink, watercolour, gouache, imported papers, encaustic

Carole Bleistein
Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA

STATEMENT

Art is my passion, my love. To create and express color and emotion through it is pure joy. As far back as I can remember color and texture always captured my interest.

My primary medium has been collage for the past fifteen years. I have worked in oils, watercolor, acrylics and studied Chinese Brush Painting with a master for four years. When I discovered the freedom of sumi ink through an expert Chinese Brush painter, I found something I identified with. In the quickness of it, I found my painting passion. It allowed me to dive in with large and quick brush strokes which suited my inner self completely. I had an affinity for all things Asian and to this day my work still has an Asian quality.

When I needed to grow, I discovered the beautiful papers I could use in collage. I exploded. To draw and paint with paper, it is about touch and the artist’s hand. It is a commitment to expressing visual imagery in paint and paper. I love working with paper, creating with paper, touching, tearing and gluing paper. My work today is definitely mixed media. I love to use all the beautiful papers combined with paint, pencil, and pastel sometimes and most recently encaustic. This combination has sprouted some beautiful paintings of mixed media full of texture.

I have worked seriously in collage since 1987, earning two signature titles, one with National Collage Society (NCS) and one with the International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA).

Collage is the early green art form. Using and reusing the discards of society, as well. It is a direct reflection of our world.

Currently I am working with encaustic and collage in a monoprint format. This will be a new series and I am very excited about it.

I also like my work to be free to make one’s imagination work. It is a gift of colour, form and freedom, it doesn’t stop when I stop painting, it continues with each set of eyes that see it and every mind that is touched by it.

BIO

I have been painting and collaging fine art for over 25 years. My award-winning work has been exhibited in galleries and juried shows nationally. I am a signature member of The National Collage Society and the International Society of Experimental Artists. I served as President and Regional Representative of The Northwest Collage Society for over ten years. I am an experienced show juror and workshop presenter. I have had an on line presence for over nine years and have produced six art videos. My American Canadian background surfaces in my work with a reflection of the terrain, textures and colors of the Northwest.

“I like my work to make one’s imagination work. It’s a gift of colour, form and freedom it doesn’t stop when the painting is completed it  continues with each set of eyes that see it and every mind touched by it.”

Selected Exhibitions: Northwest Collage Society (NCS), Seattle Arts Institute, Seattle, Washington USA, 2012; Mesa Arts, Contemporary Art Museum, Mesa, Arizona USA, 2012; NCS postcard exhibit, Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, Washington USA, 2012; NCS exhibit 2010, Sequim Arts League, Sequim, Washington USA, 2010; NCS, Earth Artisans Gallery, Tenino, Washington USA, 2010; Brushes with the Land, Stanwood, Washington USA, 2010; National Collage Society Annual Exhibit 2008 & 2010, Art House Gallery, New York, New York USA, 2010; Postcard Exhibit, Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio USA, 2010; National Collage Society, Cornell Museum, Del Ray Beach, Florida USA; National Collage Society, Cleveland, Ohio USA; National Collage Society, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio USA; Lincoln Center, New York, New York USA; ISEA, Dennos Gallery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA; Abstractions, Birmingham, Alabama USA; NCS Annual Exhibit, Seattle, Washington USA; Arts Council of Snohomish, Washington USA; Millennium Exhibition, Kirsten Gallery, Seattle, Washington USA; Marine Exhibition, Pacific Northwest Arts & Crafts Juried Exhibition, Bellevue Museum, Bellevue, Washington USA; Artsplash, Redmond, Washington USA.

ARTIST CONTACT

[click to email]
www.collagefineart.com

IMAGES


Directional Divide
15″x15″; collage, sumi ink, watercolour, gouache, imported papers


Passion in Motion #1
collage, sumi ink, watercolour, gouache, imported papers, encaustic


Passion in Motion #3
collage, sumi ink, watercolour, gouache, imported papers, encaustic