Artist Statement -Beauty in Movement Series
As an artist I am attracted to beauty, not a monumental or ideal depiction, but rather a more nuanced exploration through common occurrences. An expression or movement caught in time, a simple cloth draped in shadows, a jug transformed by sunlight can create a sense of beauty, calm and inspiration.
The female form in movement is also a profound source of inspiration for me. Through this series I hope to capture the expression and inner emotion that movement evokes; to share with my viewers the inherent beauty of humanity: ever present and waiting discovery.
While I strive for excellence in draftsmanship, it is that craft in combination with achieving this impression that is most important to me. In this sense, it is the feeling of a work that is paramount for me, as opposed to seeking an accurate pictorial depiction. Composition, colour, use of space and key details are the components I focus on in order to move away from a facsimile of a subject, and to enter into the more subjective experience.
It is artists like J.M.W.Turner, Andrew Wyeth and John Singer Sargent who have deeply influenced me, as they are brilliant examples of transcending traditional subject matter to convey their own singular vision. Turner’s breathtaking and innovative use of colour, Wyeth’s portraiture and interiors shrouded in shadows, and Sargent’s extraordinary painterly skills to transform the traditional portrait into a work of art, are all examples of what inspire me to pursue a deep emotionality within my traditional subject matter. This is what motivates me as an artist, and what I seek to find every time I set a blank canvas before me and begin my journey of discovery.
Background
Rita Duris pursued her formal training in Montreal Canada, first in the Fine Arts program of Concordia University and subsequently in graphic design at Dawson College. Her successful graphic design business led her to Toronto where she worked for 10 years at an award winning design firm. Always immersed in the fine arts community, she continually studied both historical and contemporary art movements, which led her back to her first passion; painting and drawing. She now resides in Erie, PA
Rita Duris is a member of the Art Association of Pittsburgh and the NPAA.
Recent Exhibitions
City Gallery Erie PA April 2023: Solo Show
Cincinnati Art Club Cincinnati 2022 Group Show
Cincinnati Art Club Cincinnati 2023 Group Show
Erie Art Museum; Erie PA Juried Show 2023
Touchstone Gallery: 2023 Washington DC Group Show
1020 Collective Erie PA upcoming 2024