Carol Struve

ABOUT:
Primary forces that drive my art making practice are the love of process and the natural world.

Formative years were spent wandering about, playing in fields and groves, on our family farm in Wisconsin not far from the Mississippi River. Emotional and sensory impressions of life cycles and seasons -- birth : growth : death : rebirth : growth -- were ingrained in my psyche early on and continue to emerge in the works I create.

Discovery through process plays a primary role in my approach to making. Materials and technique inform development of imagery and expression of the natural elements observed such as pattern, texture, light, space, and color. Through the study of color science, I learned how light affects colors we see, along with a well-grounded understanding of color interaction, color design and psychology. Moreover, the power of natural light and its ability to alter perceptions of all environments has been a longstanding influence. Inspiration for works that explore “pattern and play” is attributed to being surrounded by family quilt makers as a young child.

Coming full circle, I honor my love of observational drawing while continuing to explore and attempt to distill the visible and spiritual aspects of the natural world.

EVERY Natural fact is a symbol of some spiritual fact. Every appearance in nature corresponds to some state of mind…..a work of art is an abstract or epitome of the world: a leaf, a sunbeam, a landscape, the ocean, make an analogous impression on the mind. – Emerson

BIO:

 Carol Struve is an artist who lives in Kingston, NY. Her works have been shown nationally and she has been honored with several grants and residencies including Vermont Studio Center Studio, a Fellowship at Women's Studio Workshop, and the Robert Angeloch Award for Excellence in Printmaking from the Woodstock Artist Association, NY. As former director of Herter Art Gallery at UMASS Amherst, she has curated a myriad of exhibitions and also served as a Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship panelist. Struve earned a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and MFA from UMASS Amherst. She taught art for 20 years including at UMASS Amherst, Bemidji State University, MN, SUNY New Paltz, Dutchess Community College and SUNY Ulster.  Most recently Struve has been teaching workshops and classes at The D.R.A.W. in Kingston, NY.