laurensansaricq

Author: laurensansaricq

Lauren Sansaricq (b. 1990) grew up in Colombia County, NY where from an early age she was not only exposed to the beauties of the Hudson Valley, but also under the teaching of Thomas Locker, was exposed to the traditional painting techniques of the Hudson River School. Taking Mr. Locker’s advice Lauren received a classical education in drawing and painting at the Grand Central Academy of Art in NYC. She has three times been awarded the Hudson River Fellowship where she has continued to study nature and produce paintings in the tradition of the Hudson River School. Lauren’s paintings have been exhibited and collected in venues throughout New York State including Manhattan. One of Lauren’s paintings was recently featured in the New York Times representing “The Great Hudson River Exhibition.”

Here is the press release:

“Hawthorne Fine Art continues to feature the women of the Hudson River School, but with a contemporary twist, in its upcoming exhibition, Nature’s Poetry: The Landscapes of Lauren Sansaricq (b. 1990). For the first time, the gallery will exhibit the work of a living artist, confident that her paintings will stand up to the 19^th century Hudson River School masters Hawthorne predominantly displays. On view November 5, 2011 – January 13, 2012, the exhibition will include approximately 35 of Sansaricq’s luminous paintings.

Sansaricq, at age 21, is already an accomplished artist. A student at the Grand Central Academy of Art, she has been selected three times for the prestigious Hudson River Fellowship hosted by the Catskill Mountain Foundation and has exhibited at such venues as the Salmagundi Club and National Arts Club in Manhattan. Painting in a realist style informed by the artists of the Hudson River School, Sansaricq, like her forebears, is greatly inspired by the Hudson Valley region where she grew up. She explains, “When I first learned about the Hudson River School artists and their devotion to the Catskill Mountain region, I could not help but relate. It warmed my heart to learn that the mountains that I gazed upon in awe were the same mountains that Thomas Cole had spent his whole life studying and striving to paint.”

Through the exhibition of Sansaricq’s work, gallery owner Jennifer Krieger will build upon her role as co-curator of the groundbreaking exhibition Remember the Ladies: the Women of the Hudson River School, on view last year at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. The gallery is paying further homage to these ladies of the past by presenting a woman artist of the present, who is equally inspired by the vistas of the Hudson River Valley and fully equipped to portray the region’s great beauty. Krieger praises Sansaricq: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring forth such an impressive talent. Lauren is a tireless technician who can hone in on the most subtle details of nature within its grandest views. She demonstrates an artistic prowess and commitment to faithful design which is not only rare for her age but also uncommon for the age in which we live.”

A catalogue will accompany the exhibit that can be viewed online at www.hawthornefineart.com or ordered by emailing info@hawthornefineart.com.”

This past summer I was painting at the top of Kaaterskill Falls. This spot to me is one of the most beautiful locations in all the Catskills Mts. Kaaterskill Falls also has a rich history. The painters of the hudson river school loved this location and produced many paintings of this area. Seen below is Thomas Cole’s “Top of Kaaterskill Falls” 1826:

So I set out to follow in their footsteps and paint this magical place. My plan was to do studies of the area including a small painting outdoors , then bring it all back to the studio and do a much larger studio painting. Below is my outdoor painting: