Starts:

Thursday November 17, 2022

November 17, 2022 – February 21, 2023

Cathy Abramson considers her oil paintings to be both representational and narrative. She paints everyday scenes and captures ordinary moments that are easily overlooked. Often there is some mystery in her work; she tries to paint what lies just beneath the surface. As viewers of her work, we long to understand her subjects, what events led to a particular moment and speculate about what happens next. The narratives the viewer constructs are often about their own lives and those assumptions bring a personal connection with the images.

Abramson studied traditional painting techniques at the The Compass Atelier in Rockville, Maryland. Many decades prior to this course of study she received a BA at SUNY Stony Brook and a BS at the University of Texas. She worked as an art director and illustrator before retirement when her focus switched to painting. Work as a graphic designer and illustrator gave her paintings a sharpened knowledge of composition and color.

Abramson paints from photos she has taken that suggest a story. By combining elements from several images an idea for a narrative emerges. In addition to this method of image making she frequently draws and paints from life to imbue her images with accuracy and vitality.

Abramson’s work was shown in The Phillips Collection show, “Inside, Outside, Upside Down” as well as the Washington County Museum of Fine Art in Maryland and the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art in Wausau, Wisconsin. Her paintings are included in the Art Bank of Washington, DC as well as other public and private collections.