SOLO

exhibition

“My art is a colorful web where solid shapes and varied lines interact to keep the viewer in a playful atmosphere of exploration and imagination.”

Paula Christenson is an intuitive abstract painter who lives in Humble, Texas.

As a child growing up in Argentina, Paula displayed signs of innate artistic talent in both painting and sculpture. Her mother enrolled her in art classes and at the age of 12 her art was selected for exhibitions and awards. The continued support she received from her family cemented Paula’s confidence and desire to explore her creativity which has expanded and evolved.

Through my artwork, I leave this dominating world to create a colorful web where spontaneous expressions and emotional freedom prevail over intellectualism and realism.

Paula graduated with honors from the Institute of Teacher Formation, Buenos Aires, Argentina and has served as an educator for children. Currently, she combines her love for creating art with education and explains, “Using art in my teaching practice is a powerful resource that helps students process the world around them in a collaborative and exciting way.”

Dreamweb 7

Acrylic

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My compositions are an invitation to celebrate our native creativity. This can be an opportunity to let go of stress by losing yourself in the moment as I do or to engage in intellectual interpretation.

Paula’s exhibitions include those in the Kinder Morgan Building at the Glassell School of Art, MFAH, in Houston, Texas, which was founded as part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

“Even though spontaneity and intuition predominate in my pieces, my work is still organized in three stages of creation: Play, Explore, and Clarify.”

Her painting “Dreamweb 6” was recently selected by Gallery CERO for an online presentation in which artists shared their pandemic stories. About this painting she emphasized, “While one’s interpretation of ‘DW6’ could be chaos and conflict, I see something more. There is bravery in the struggle – a willingness to face our fears and confront the present struggle with a resolute energy. Our dreams continue.”

When writing about Paula’s art Renee Phillips, Director/Curator, Manhattan Arts International, NYC, NY, states, “A spontaneous interplay of undulating shapes and dynamic contrasting colors and textures emanate from Paula Christenson’s paintings. Her lively compositions provide a continuous crescendo of delightful abstract forms. They appear as a mélange of familiar shapes from nature, human and architectural elements, often as though viewed from an aerial perspective. Her inimitable imagery is as equally exquisite aesthetically as it serves to remind us about our place and evolution in the human experience.”

With a relentless desire to advance her professional skills, Paula is currently attending the Glassell School of Art and is working toward obtaining a certification in Painting.
She is a proud member of Latin American Women Artists of Houston.

“Rather than think of evolution as slow changes over generations, movement can capture the concept of evolution as energy in our individual lives – a rhythm that manifests itself in our lives as we adapt to our circumstances.”

Paula's comments, when asked to describe her work and process, include:
My artwork in acrylics is a colorful web where solid shapes and varied lines interact to keep the viewer in a playful atmosphere of exploration and imagination. My workflow is dynamic and starts with gestural lines, which are responsible for some initial shapes, colors, and design. Spontaneity and simplicity are fundamental in my practice.

Within playfulness, there is room for boldness.

We are all different and process information or images in different ways. I see forms and shapes embodied in my compositions as emotional impressions of the past, present, or future.
"The true work of art is born from the 'artist': a mysterious, enigmatic, and mystical creation. It detaches itself from him, it acquires an autonomous life, becomes a personality, an independent subject, animated with a spiritual breath, the living subject of a real existence of being." Wassilly Kandinsky.

I hope viewers are able to enjoy and connect with my pieces at an emotional level. I don't think interpretation of my pieces is necessary to find something meaningful beyond words.
“Shapes act, shapes influence our psyche, shapes are events and Beings. Our perception of shapes is tied up with our own perception of existence itself. Our emotions are the real manifestation of this content. In short, shapes manifest all the properties of a real force having a positive and a negative direction.” Moholy Navy.

I believe my art offers an opportunity to connect with our inner selves by intentionally focusing on intuition more than intellectualism or judgement. This search for our inner selves involves slowing down enough to look at and perceive what lies beneath the surface. It also means opening our hearts to possibility and wonder.

Lines are a powerful and symbolic tool to embody an intuitive emotion or thought on canvas.

“One of the features I always look for in my pieces is movement. Movement in art as an expression of human evolution is an exciting interpretation.”

My pieces use lines, shapes and colors without predetermined results. I live my art in the moment. Like a dream, there are bizarre, surprising, extravagant or eccentric moments. If I don't like the result, I continue to add or modify lines, shapes, and colors until I feel a sense of contentment.

My Creative Process:
Rather than paint with a plan, my work uses an abstract, process-driven approach.
Even though spontaneity and intuition predominate in my pieces, my work is still organized in three stages of creation: Play, Explore, and Clarify.
In the Play stage, the underpainting is often prepared outdoors while connecting with nature. The motions, colors, and natural tools of the Play stage initiate my compositions. Twigs, leaves and branches leave unique marks or guides on the canvas.
In the Explore stage, intuition and observation bring my compositions to life. The Explore stage is dynamic and energetic - a game of trial and error in which emerging shapes, lines and colors are added and subtracted. With intuitive painting, judgment and criticism are put to the side in an experience that brings joy and amazement. “Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled with in vain.” Carl Jung
In the Clarify stage, the academic mind and related training is given time to finesse the balance and harmony of colors, shapes, lines, and movement.
Through my artwork I leave this dominating world to create webs where spontaneous expressions and emotional freedom prevail over intellectualism and realism. I live my art in the moment, like a dream, where there are bizarre, surprising, extravagant or eccentric moments.
Looking for beauty is not the goal I want to reach on my pieces. However, I believe that there is a type of beauty achieved with my projects. Those that want to celebrate the spontaneous and mysterious part of human nature may appreciate my work. My compositions are an invitation to viewers to excite their imaginations, let go of stress, and lose themselves temporarily.