Rebecca Mannheimer
Ravine, 2022
Acrylic mixed media on canvas, 18 x 18 x 1 in
-450
On display at the Downtown Eugene Public Library
Artist Bio
I have a studio in my home with a view of the Coburg Hills that I wake up to each morning. I am influenced by my surroundings and it filters into my imagery. I take that experience of the landscape and how it changes from day to day and the light that is altered with each new season and combine it with an array of other elements that come with me when I sit down to paint.
Artist Statement
The content of most of the work is about a narrative: a narrative that comes from a personal history that I explore and redefine as I move onto the next body of work. There is always a conversation in my head that will play out as I begin a piece trying to define its meaning. Some of my most recent work focuses on layered abstractions in acrylic on canvas, with a subtle reference to the Willamette Valley and the hills of Portland where I grew up. I believe all of our experiences are somehow embedded inside us. Some come to the surface while others are obscure and remain underground or below the surface, an internal landscape. I use symbols and metaphors to convey the ideas behind my pieces. I take from a collection of objects and shapes that come from a personal reference or experience. Some become literal, many are not. In the process of making art I want to take what can be identifiable and shift it, take it out of context and reframe it, giving it new meaning. I like to explore beyond the perceived reference in the narrative of these pieces, abstract them, alter their immediate reference and create a pause from the viewer.
For more information visit rebeccamannheimer.com