Artist of the Month – Page 2 – Algonquin Library Adult Services

Meet This Month’s Featured Artist Robin Morgan

You could describe Robin Morgan's work as a breath of fresh air! As a "plein air" painter Robin's studio is the great outdoors. She paints exclusively outside, sometimes even in bad weather. Her work has taken her to remote areas, parks, and gardens in search of a scene that speaks to her. "I need to paint some thing or place that I feel connected to, or inspired by. I especially love color and texture, and work to communicate a sense of place, atmosphere and feeling," Robin said.

Enjoy her exhibit on the Art Wall through the month of August, as she brings the great outdoors inside AAPLD's Adult Services Department.

Your name: Robin Morgan

Your community: Evanston, IL

Your background as an artist: I've always been creative and prefer to spend my time making things. I hold a BA in Art History and have taken many painting workshops with some fabulous teachers, some well known, such as Michelle Dunaway, Georgia Mansur, and Clare Bowen. Others, like Jeff Krantz, are not so well known, but just as significant to my work. I also spend time studying artists who inspire me, such as Sargent, Durer, Dixon, Morisot, Rembrandt, Giorgione, Bosch, Sorolla, Monet, Richard Schmidt, Chris Green, the Luminists and the Hudson River School.

What inspires your work: Nature, wild spaces, and the feeling I get from being outside.

Your preferred medium: Currently, it's oil paint but I've also spent a lot of time working in black and white smithing, textile art, stained glass, and clay. I also draw, sketch and hand sew.

Your preferred subjects and why you're drawn to them: I am drawn to color, and textures of natural objects. I also do portrait work. Painting for me is demanding and one can never learn all there is needed to know to produce a work that communicates what one hopes to communicate. It is always the deep joy of being outside and the wonderful variety of natural things that inspires, excites and informs my work.

Is your work for sale, and how can someone contact you: Yes, and they can text me at 847-828-6312

Super Hero fans won't want to miss this month's exhibit on the AAPLD Art Wall. Local artist (and AAPLD staff member) Drew Kristoff's love for art and comics is on colorful display during the month of July. Learn a little more about Drew and his work.

Artist: Drew Kristoff
Background/Training: I've been drawing since grade school, and by the time I got to junior high, I started to get more serious. Like most artists, I copied other artist's work, which taught me about layout, perspective and shading. In high school, I spent a lot of time filling sketchbooks with original and inspired art. My high school art teachers encouraged me, and I started to explore new techniques. After high school, I attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago, where I studied fundamentals, figure drawing, illustration, advertising and even tried a semester of oil painting. I graduated with an Associates degree in Illustration/Graphic Design.
What inspires your work: I can get inspiration from almost anything, possibly something I see when walking or driving or from viewing other artist's works.
What is your favorite medium: My favorite medium is using colored pencils and then adding additional dimensions by adding pastels or watercolors to enhance the illustration.
How can someone contact you: I accept freelance work, please contact me by email at dkristoff@sbcglobal.net