Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Curtis.
Hi Erin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in upstate NY and went to college in the Northeast before coming to Austin in 2003 to attend University of Texas for my master’s degree in art. Coming from the Northeast I loved how open and easy Austin felt- I fell in love with the city, the big Texas sky and made a life here beyond school as a working artist. For the past 20 years, more or less, I’ve lived and had various studios in East Austin where I still live and work today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Creating a life as a working artist requires flexibility and an acceptance of uncertainty- I am not always good at this, but I try to keep a long-view vision of my career and accept the ups and downs. I try to enjoy the wins when they come and appreciate the quieter times for the benefits they give too.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work primarily as a painter and have had exhibitions in galleries around Austin and Texas, but also have had amazing opportunities to create public art as well as large-scale commissions and site-specific works for private companies and individuals.
I love color and pattern and am inspired by handmade textiles from all parts of the world and throughout history- I mix this love with an interest in landscape, our known natural world and ideas of memory, disappearance and loss.
My current paintings are super detailed, double layer works of cut canvas, that can give the experience of seeing two things at once- such as trees across the street, while also seeing the grid of the window screen.
I am interested in creating works that are beautiful and feel full of life and energy, but also, reflect a sense of overwhelm, loss and fracture that a lot of us are experiencing in our lives today.
Included below are images of recent large-scale paintings (60 x 80 inches) from a series titled Painting Can’t Keep You Warm and images from two large scale projects- Twinned Vision at City Centre Houston (curated by Weingarten Art Group, photo by Nicki Evans and Living On A Star at Intelligentsia Coffee, Shoal Creek Austin with Magic Architecture.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.erinelizabethcurtis.com
- Instagram: erincurtisstudio
