About
I live and work in Rochester, New York. My process is one of addition and subtraction. I start with random marks, drawing, collage, paint. Then it is time to sand, lift paint, obscure with more collage, and create veiled layers. I add and subtract until something in the painting speaks to me or gives me direction. The process reminds me of a dig; shapes materialize and scraps of images and color emerge. I carefully work around the ruins to find something precious, imperfect, and meaningful. I am learning not to force this; I need to be patient and wait for the painting to tell me what comes next.
I invite the viewer to lean in.
Art Education: I have studied under Steve Carpenter and Jane Davies as well as other workshops.
Solo Exhibitions:
2019 Upon Close Inspection, Studio 402, Anderson Arts Building, Rochester, NY
2018 Softly Spoken; Abstract Painting and Collage by Karen Frutiger: The Gallery at Creativ Framing and Editions Printing, Rochester, NY
2017 Text Layer, Shape Shifter: Collage Compositions: Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY
Juried Exhibitions:
2021 Last Year on Earth, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY
2019 Cut & Paste, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY
2019 Made in NY 2019, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY
2018 Cultivating Connections, Dyer Arts Center, Rochester, NY
2018 No Man's Land, Politits Art Coalition at The Yards Collective, Rochester, NY
2016 Made in New York, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY
2015 Water Effect, Schweinfurth Art Center, Auburn, NY
2011 Annual RCS Juried Art Show, Art/Music Library University of Rochester Rush Rhees Library, Rochester, NY
Group Exhibitions:
2021 Art in August, Stephen Merritt Studio, Irondequoit, NY 14617
2019 Concealing and Revealing: An Artistic Duet Mixed Media Artists: Jeanne Raffer Beck and Karen Frutiger, Keuka College Lightner Art Gallery, Keuka Park, NY
2019 Arena at the Mill,, Mill Art Center and Gallery, Rochester NY
2019 Figurative Free Form, Studio 402, Anderson Arts Building, Rochester, NY
2019 Works on Paper, Mill Art Center and Gallery, Rochester NY
2019 Diverse Directions, Gallery 384, Rochester NY
2019 Nouveau ‘19; Self Portraits for the New Year, Studio 402, Anderson Arts Building, Rochester, NY
2018 27th Annual Members Exhibition, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY
2018 Representation and Abstraction Coming Together, Gallery 384, Rochester NY
2018 Expanded Dimensions, Arena Art Group, Williams Gallery, First Unitarian Church, Rochester, NY
2017 Arena Art Group @ Geisel Gallery, Rochester, NY
2017 Edge of Night, Arena Art Group, MuCCC Fringe Festival Show, Rochester, NY
2017 This is Jazz, Arena Art Group, Little Theater Cafe Art Gallery, Rochester, NY
2017 New Work, Arena Art Group, Warren Phillips Gallery, Rochester, NY
2017 Squared Off, Arena Art Group, Nu Movement Galley, Rochester, NY
2016 New Energy, Arena Art Group, Link Gallery, City Hall, Rochester, NY
2016 Equinox, Arena Art Group, Warren Philips Gallery, Rochester, NY
2016 Explorations: A Visual Conversation, Arena Art Group, The Dyer Gallery at RIT, Rochester, NY
2015 The Big Picture: 25th Annual Members Exhibition, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY
2014 24th Annual Members Exhibition, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Rochester, NY
Member:
Arena Art Group: 2016 to present
Art 360: 2018 to present
NY Figure Study Guild: 2018 to 2019
Awards:
2012 Creative Excellence Award Center for Ethics, Humanities, and Palliative Care, University of Rochester Medical Center
Workshops and classes:
From the Ground up; Five Easy Pieces: A Two Day Workshop
Class Dates: October 23rd and 24th, 2021
Mixed media painting with Karen Frutiger: once a week x 4 weeks
Creating Collage Elements: A Two Day Workshop
Creating Collage Elements: A One Day Workshop