By the Red Barn Studio Museum
LINDSBORG, Kan. — Ukrainian-born Israeli artist Elena Samarsky will be the Artist-in-Residence at the Red Barn Studio Museum September 3-28. A reception will be held Sunday, September 24, 2:00-4:00pm.
Samarsky is a self-taught artist who operates from her small studio in Hoboken, New Jersey, where she specializes in creating abstract paintings. Her artistic approach involves emotional and intellectual engagement, which helps her cope with and understand new contexts. Through her art, she expresses her feelings and processes new experiences.
From previous experiences during residencies in rural and remote areas, Elena has learned that being in a new location helps her to disconnect and concentrate on her own artistic process without the disturbances of everyday life and routine. The solitude, as well as change of environment can be very thought-provoking and productive. Samarsky is hoping to be inspired by the new and creative environment of Lester Raymer. She is anticipating Raymer’s art will lead to higher sensitivity and spark curiosity to use different color palettes and experiment with texture–all to heighten her creativity.
Samarasky will spend most of her time creating a series of new paintings inspired by Kandinsky, Chagall, and Malevich, whose work represents the USSR/Russian Ukrainian Avant-Garde movement. She will reflect on how their work impacts her color palette and composition as well as reflects her own Ukrainian heritage and self-identification.
The Red Barn Studio Museum’s residency program is sponsored in part by the Kansas Creative Arts Industry Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Red Barn Studio Museum is located at 212 S. Main Street and is open Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm and Saturday and Sunday, 1:00-5:00pm, and by appointment. Please call 785-227-2217 to schedule an appointment.
