Luanne Ripley Kreutzer
Luanne Ripley Kreutzer
While painting, my process is rather intuitive as I rarely know what I am going to paint when I start. Layers and layers of acrylic paint, and/or paper, graphite, and art crayons are added on wooden panels, then subtracted by rubbing, scraping, or scrubbing. I love this challenging process of give and take, over and over till the painting hints at the story it wants me to tell. I often feel as though I am on an archaeological dig, where I slowly mine the piece to completion by turning rocks over to see what’s next, puzzling it all together, and then slowing down to apply the finishing touches to the work.
Abstract paintings can be whatever the viewer sees, and there is no correct answer. Whether it’s an abstract landscape, a floral still life, or purely an abstract piece, the memories from my many travels, hikes, and rafting have influenced my art. Mostly imaginary places and rarely representational, my abstract landscapes are combinations of trips, views, and perspectives with the sense of the feeling I have from these memories thrown in. My hope is that the viewer feels transported to a place of wonder and curiosity, and perhaps to a favorite place they may have been.
With my abstract flowers, I offer a loving tribute to my artist mom, Alice Porter Ripley. Her magically creating abstract florals with acrylic paints and collaging Sunday funnies and classified ads as vases or tablecloths in her dining room studio is one of my fondest memories growing up.
Art has always been in my life. Even though I took the science route in college and worked in the paper and packaging industry, then worked over 25 years in the bookselling world (as a bookstore owner and then as an employee), art was always there. With several online courses and workshops, and many gatherings with artist friends and local artists’ groups, I was always learning. It was about 2014 when I started focusing on the art practice I enjoy today. St. Helens, Oregon is home, where I live with my husband, Mark, and our black lab, Abby .