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The art gene seems to run in Angie Coleman’s family. She has seven sisters and four of them are artists. Credit for the artistic gene goes to her father, who was a lithographer. Angie was always interested in art, but like many artists had a whole other life before she immersed herself in her art. She obtained degrees in History and Library Sciences and raised a family, all the while staying involved with art on some level. She has worked her way into the full time art world, starting in Alabama, then Old Town in Portsmouth and finally to Norfolk. She was drawn to Norfolk for the strong art community and for the friendly atmosphere at One Eleven Art, where she currently has a studio.
Angie Coleman is a calm, serene woman like a smooth river, but she is also deep with a strong current. On the surface her art is simply beautiful, but her fascination with symbology and light often add another dimension to the work. Her studies in history, psychology and religion inform her art and have helped her wander into other realms. Her recent show at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, for example, featured flowers morphing into women or babies born of botanical buds. Her life experiences as a whole have merged into her art and emerged on the other side representing archetypes and original creations in the same painting. She believes that artistic endeavors and intellectual pursuits are an integral and awe inspiring part of humanity. Listening to her speak makes me want to go pour myself out onto a canvas like a never before seen color of paint.
Angie works primarily in oils. She has tried many other mediums, enjoying them all, but has decided master oils (at least for a while). She kept returning to oils because of the luscious range of colors, the versatility and the tactile feel of the oils. She often does commissioned pieces for patrons and is delighted by all the interesting people she meets through commissions. She is currently working on piece of a patron’s grand-babies in a sunflower patch.
She defines herself as a realist painter - painting portraits, florals, children pets and stills. Her favorite subject is flowers (I can identify with that) and she has a real affinity for the outdoors. She enjoys painting en plein air which is French for “out of doors”. Considering how many tools, etc. are needed for painting, it’s impressive whenever anyone decides to attempt it. Hauling supplies may be the least of the worries about painting out of doors. Ignoring potential weather issues, there is the difficulty of lighting. Changes in the shadows as the sun moves across the sky (or more correctly, the Earth rotates) could make a painting seem wrong to the subconscious mind. So to paint in the outdoors, the artist has to return at the same time everyday and only paint for a short time before the light changes. Of course it works out better if the artist is a fast painter, but in any case, painting outdoors is impressive. Angie has several en plein air pieces in the Tale of Seven Cities show.
Angie was drawn to Norfolk art community, glad of all the art that being created all the time, continuous opportunities and numerous artists in the area. She has several shows in Hampton Road, as well as her studio. She says the summer is her slow season, so be sure to stop by to visit.
Find Angie’s art at:
Penninsula Fine Art Center in the show “Tale of Seven Cities” until July 12, 2009.
Pembroke 4 Art Gallery in the show “Just Blooming” until July 20th, 2009.
Find Angie at:
One Eleven Art, 111 Pennsylvania Ave., Norfolk, VA, 757-625-1110
Wed-Sat 1-5 p.m. and Sun 1-4 p.m.
www.angiecoleman.com
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