Kristi Haines Herman “The Trees of Comfort 1” Contemporary Gestural Abstract Expressionist Painting, 2024

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Contemporary pink toned gestural abstract expressionist painting by Houston based artist Kristi Haines Herman. The work features layers of swirling … Read more Contemporary pink toned gestural abstract expressionist painting by Houston based artist Kristi Haines Herman. The work features layers of swirling brushwork in tones of pink and green. Signed, titled, and dated on the reverse. Currently unframed.

Artist Biography: As an abstract painter, Kristi Haines Herman, uses her artwork to execute ideas and two-dimensional environments that create an emotional experience for the viewer. Her paintings are inspired by personal involvements and reactions to them. Phrases and words ruminate in her mind and slowly turn into abstracted figures that convey her inner thoughts. Haines Herman is highly influenced by movement as her artistic expression due to many years in dance. Movement is depicted through various gestural lines, shapes, and texture which allow the audience to venture through the canvas; thus a visual dance from one edge to another on the painting’s surface.

Ballet was Haines Herman’s first love in the art world, starting at age five. She learned to use body movement as an outward expression which allowed her to explore various audience reactions. This would later correlate with her artwork. In her late teens, dance and visual art would intertwine with time on stage as well as painting for expression. Gradually, visual art became her primary artistic avenue.

Haines Herman attended Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, where she majored in studio art under professors Frank Hobbs and Polly Dixon. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. During her studies at UT, she was encouraged and challenged by many talented art professors, including Michael Mogavero, John Yancey and David Deming. Upon graduation, Haines Herman also acquired a certification in art education for grades Pre-K through 12. She taught visual art in various schools ranging from 80-1100 students while continuing to sell her paintings in her free time. A career transition took her into fashion for many years, along with home interiors. However, visual art expression has always remained within her. After missing time painting, Haines Herman returned to her canvases to continue her career in the visual art world, finding true fulfillment in creating impassioned works of art.

Artist Statement: My artwork is a personal haven for processing visceral responses, ranging from joy to sorrow. I extend this same sense of refuge to the viewer, providing a space that fosters the unburdening of one’s deepest thoughts, free from judgment or inhibitions.

Due to my background in dance, I visualize figures depicting emotions through body movement. I understand how the human form can be contorted and shaped to serve as a powerful means of expression. Variations of deconstructed figures simplified into amorphic shapes and gestural marks are used in my paintings. Canvases contain multiple brushstrokes and paint layers, creating tension and visual movement, juxtaposed against tranquil areas with less texture and minimal lines. This balance invites viewers to visually wander through the work, finding respite in calm areas.

Additionally, I use abstraction to privatize my notions, as literal representation feels too vulnerable and exposed. By depicting only hints of meaning, the audience forms its interpretations. My work sparks personal connections, offering viewers an interactive and emotional experience. This reciprocation nurtures a sense of validation, progress, fortitude, and hope, within the intimate two-dimensional environment. See less