Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 4

Linda Christensen
Time

About the Item

“I begin this short essay with my artists’ statement from 1997 because it illustrates my focus on emotion instead of on subject matter starting early on. I approached the idea of writing about what I paint back then with dread and tried to bypass it by being as honest as possible about my process. I’d like to think that I paint anything I want because through paint I can express how I feel. I started training to be an artist in early childhood. I studied texture. I learned about composition. I played with color and observed the beauty of line. My methods were unconventional and invented by me. Many different things inspired me: Cheerios in milk, clouds, hands in food, dry dusty dirt, wet mud puddles, coloring books, fashion photos in the newspaper and my keen need to observe my surroundings. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I had no answer. I just wanted to watch, and to observe the world around me. I’ve worked for years on a response to that complicated question “what is the work about?” I’ve developed all kinds of stories that seem to make sense at the time, but I have to ask, “isn’t this the same question as ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?”’ I am drawn to the figure, and to capturing physical expression in all types of situations, but especially when we are on our own. The body carries emotion, and most people are unaware that they reveal something of themselves when observed in private moments. When I was young I realized that I could easily understand the unspoken just by watching. It felt like a strange and isolating gift – and sometimes a curse – and I often felt confused and acted out in anger when the words didn’t match what I saw. But I still recognize all kinds of emotion there, and whether what I see is true or not, I relish the vulnerability of the moment. Color is another important tool for me. It’s a self-taught endeavor and one that I explore daily. Color mixing is similar to building flavors in a soup. A soup with just salt is watery and uninteresting. As in cooking, I pay close attention from the first layers what each color feels like in terms of its value, whether it’s warm or cool, and how it fits the composition. I am looking for something that feels harmonious with my nervous system. I begin with abstract shapes, then ask, “Is this shape interesting? Does this color work next to that one? Is it too strong? Is it helpful to the overall composition?” The more complex the mix, the more likely it is to hold my attention, and allow me to linger. Those puddles of paint sitting on my six foot glass palette are essential in setting the stage for what comes next. Ultimately, my work is a series of self-portraits. I know those poses; I’ve shaded my eyes, I’ve collected on the beach, I’ve weighted a foot. Therefore I don’t closely study how to draw the figure. I don’t necessarily want to get everything “right” or follow the rules, as in my childhood. I want the freedom to show you the flaws and imperfections. I want to feel the emotion that comes with being human, and I want you to feel that too. I know how it feels to be me. In truth, I am not an observer of others but an observer of myself.”
  • Creator:
    Linda Christensen (1950, American)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 40 in (101.6 cm)Width: 60 in (152.4 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Park City, UT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU483313883242

More From This Seller

View All
Peach Lady
Located in Park City, UT
"I paint the inside and outside of myself that surrounds me. I want to express everything I feel in life, such as my thoughts that are not organized, my image I want, me in relations...
Category

2010s Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

The Long Awaited
Located in Park City, UT
"I paint the inside and outside of myself that surrounds me. I want to express everything I feel in life, such as my thoughts that are not organized, my image I want, me in relations...
Category

2010s Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

Lost in Thought
Located in Park City, UT
"I paint the inside and outside of myself that surrounds me. I want to express everything I feel in life, such as my thoughts that are not organized, my image I want, me in relations...
Category

2010s Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

Purple Ladies
Located in Park City, UT
"I paint the inside and outside of myself that surrounds me. I want to express everything I feel in life, such as my thoughts that are not organized, my image I want, me in relations...
Category

2010s Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

A Silent Noise
Located in Park City, UT
I paint the inside and outside of myself that surrounds me. I want to express everything I feel in life, such as my thoughts that are not organized, my image I want, me in relationsh...
Category

2010s Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Acrylic

Waterline
By Lisa Golightly
Located in Park City, UT
Lisa Golightly's initial focus was photography, the influence of which can be seen in her paintings. Her work revolves around memory and how snapshots shape, influence, change and even create memory. She works with acrylic and high gloss enamel, using found photos...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

You May Also Like

Caring Hand, Love & Faith, Acrylic on Canvas, Green by Indian Artist "In Stock"
By Kamal Mitra
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Kamal Mitra - Caring Hand - 18 x 24 inches (unframed size) Acrylic on Canvas Inclusive of shipment in a roll form. About Kamal Mitra’s Works : While pursuing his Bachelors (Painting...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

La Princesa
By Sofia Ruiz
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"LA PRINCESA" OIL AND ACRILIC ON CANVAS SIGNED, 2013 EXHIBITED MUSEO DEL BANCO CENTRAL DE COSTA RICA 43.5 x 35.25 INCHES Sofía Ruiz was born in 1982. ...
Category

2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Soup Box - Onion (unique painting on canvas)
By Andy Warhol
Located in Aventura, FL
Unique acrylic painting and silkscreen on canvas. Hand signed and dated by Andy Warhol on verso. Martin Lawrence provenance label on verso. Canvas size 20 x 20 inches. The artwor...
Category

1980s Pop Art Figurative Paintings

Materials

Screen, Canvas, Acrylic

Lost Childhood, Acrylic on Canvas, Brown by Indian Contemporary Artist"In Stock"
By Kamal Mitra
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Kamal Mitra - Lost Childhood - 50 x 70 inches (unframed size) Acrylic on Canvas Inclusive of shipment in a roll form. About Kamal Mitra’s Works : While pursuing his Bachelors (Pain...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Pig Latin III, 2015 (I Think Therefore I Am)
By Robert Deyber
Located in Greenwich, CT
Pig Latin III (I Think Therefore I Am) is an acrylic on canvas painting, 24 x 24 inches, signed 'DEYBER' lower right and framed in a black contemporary frame.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Searching for Oneself...
Located in Zofingen, AG
Reflection on the inner barriers that shape human psyche, imposed stereotypes, and the process of recognizing one's own boundaries. At its core lies Jungian individuation—the integr...
Category

2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Recently Viewed

View All