Kirsten Abrahamson

Kirsten Lillian Abrahamson is a Canadian ceramic artist.

Personal background

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1960. She moved to Canada with her family at the beginning of her high school years and subsequently became a Canadian citizen. After completing high school she moved to Calgary, Alberta to study at the Alberta College of Art and Design where she earned Diplomas in Ceramics and Glassblowing. In 1984 and 1985 she attended the summer sessions in Ceramics at The Banff School of Fine Arts, Banff, Alberta. She then attended the University of Calgary from which she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Ceramics) in 1987 and Master of Fine Arts (Sculpture) in 1990. Subsequently, she was an artist in residence at the Alberta College of Art and Design
, and later at the Banff Centre. Her career evolved as an artist and as an instructor at post-secondary institutions.University of Waterloo
Resume unavailable accessed 2015 03 14

Body of work

Abrahamson's work was influenced by a sojourn in Mexico in 1993 where she and a colleague experienced the Day of the Dead festival. Out of that experience she and her colleague created a special exhibition entitled ''Revival'' shown at the Muttart Gallery. Subsequently, they had a second exhibition, ''Days of the Dead'' at The New Gallery in Calgary. Abrahamson portrayed the symbolism of this festival. 'Dead Dudes in Mexican Duds'' The Gauntlet, p. 21 Oct. 1999 description of gallery show - Online article no longer available

Through her extensive course of studies in ceramic art, Kirsten Abrahamson has both an understanding of ceramic traditions and the formal skills in ceramic arts developed from the 19th through to the 21st century. Her foremost work, ''Diary of a River'', has been the subject of critical analysis.

That work was reviewed in a short bookCarol Podedworny, Illingworth Kerr Gallery, 2005 - 7 pages
/ref> by Carol Podedworny. Podedworny observed that Abrahamson's work reflects the California Funk and Bay Area CeramicsAlbright, Thomas. '' Art in the San Francisco Bay Area 1945-1980''. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985. traditions and that Abrahamson's "bold, satirical and colourful leanings are reflected in her narrative and figurative works that have a strong personal introspective penchant". The use of low-fire clay and glazes permit the construction of large objects and brighter colours.

Similarly, Virginia Eichorn's article, about ''Diary of a River'', featured in ''ESPACE SCULPTURE'',Eichorn, Virginia, ESPACE SCULPTURE, Vol. 75, p 39-40, Spring 2006
/ref> observed that Abrahamson's studio work takes an autobiographical approach in the creation of ceramic art that reflects the themes in her life.
''Diary of a River'' was subsequently acquired by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts as part of its permanent collection. A number of her other works have been also been acquired by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

Abrahamson's ceramic art is illustrated and exemplified in several ceramics texts. One of these is Gail Crawford's boo
''Studio Ceramics in Canada''
a standard reference text published with the assistance of the Gardiner Museum, the only museum in Canada dedicated to ceramic art. The text discusses and illustrates Canadian ceramic art work and ceramic artists in Canada. Kirsten Abrahamson's glazing work has also been used for illustrative purposes in two books by professional studio potter Robin Hopper. In 2012 her work was featured by the Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery's promotion i
Ceramics Monthly

Kirsten Abrahamson's works were represented in 5 of the 10 National Biennial of Ceramics exhibitions. At the 10''th'' Biennial she was awarded the "Prix Du Public". During its 20-year history, this exhibition was a juried national ceramics show. At its 10''th'' and final exhibition, the participants were selected by curators who invited submissions from artists in each of four regions.

Awards

Abrahamson's work has been recognized by the awards or prizes in these venues,

University of Calgary Art Department 50th Anniversary
One of 30 Alumni honoured during the University of Calgary anniversary by display of their works at Nickle Gallery, September 2016.
* ''Prix du Public'' awarded at the 10th National Biennial of Ceramics at Trois-Riviers, Quebec in 2002
*
Distinguished Alumni Award of Excellence
granted in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2002
* Awarded 2nd Prize in ''Fit for a King'' juried exhibition displayed at the Gardiner Museum, Toronto in 1992.

Collections

Her work has been acquired by individuals, and collected in private and public galleries. The works of Kirsten Abrahamson are held in the permanent collections of the following institutions;
*The Burlington Art Centre, Burlington, Ontario
*The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta
*The Nickle Arts Museum at the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
*The Claridge Collection, Montreal, Quebec
*The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Alberta
* Alberta College of Art + Design Permanent Collection, Calgary, Alberta
*The City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary, Alberta (housed at the Triangle Gallery)

Exhibitions

Her work has been given wide public exposure and has been included in several international shows in the United States (in San Diego, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; New York, New York and; San Angelo, Texas ) and overseas; in Tai Pai, Taiwan; and Prague, Czechoslovakia.

Solo exhibitions

* ''Queue'' Jonathon Bancroft Snell Gallery, October 2015
* Her epic work ''Diary: of a River'', first shown at the Illingworth Kerr Gallery Calgary, subsequently traveled to the London Regional Museum and Art Gallery at London, Ontario and thereafter to the University of Waterloo Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario during 2004 – 2005.
* The 2002 ''Feature'' exhibition at the Harbinger Gallery of Waterloo.
* The 1994 ''Revival'' exhibition at the Muttart Gallery (now the Art Gallery of Calgary).
* Her ''Personal Mythologies'' Exhibition Catalogue and notes
/ref> exhibition presented in 1990 a
The Nickle Arts Museum
of the University of Calgary.
* ''The Personal Mythologies of Dee Dee Alteridem'' shown in 1990 at th
University of Calgary Little Gallery

* ''Accidental Solo'' exhibited in 1989 at the Canadian Art Gallery of Calgary.
* ''I Love A Parade'' presented by the Muttart Gallery (now the Art Gallery of Calgary).

See also

List of Canadian artists

Bibliography

Publications referencing the work of Kirsten Abrahamson;
*Chaytor, K and Krueger, J ed. Relational Learning: ACAD Ceramics Visiting Artists The First 3 Decades, ACAD Ceramics, Calgary, Alberta, 2017
*Eichorn, Virgini
''Diary of a River''
ESPACE SCULPTURE, Vol. 75, p 39-40, Spring 2006
*Podedworny, Caro

Illingworth Kerr Gallery, 2005 - 7 pages
*Crawford, Gai
''Studio Ceramics in Canada''
Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Goose Lane Editions, 2005, p. 215
*miniARTur
Sample of work
The Triangle Gallery 2004
*Hopper, Robi

Iola: Krause Publications, 2004
*Hopper, Robi

2nd Ed., Iola: Krause Publications, 2001
*Shea, Melissa ''Dead Dudes in Mexican Duds'', Gauntlet, p. 21 Oct. 1999
*Tousley, Nancy ''Critics Pick,'' The Calgary Herald, Oct. 6, 1999.
*Laviolette, Mary-Beth ''Oeuvre The Top: Ceramic Artist Kirsten Abrahamson Walks a Tight Line Between the Exuberant and the Absurd,'' Avenue, 8-9 Dec. 1997
*Auth ukn ''The Lighter Side of Death,'' Where, p. 12. (Calgary) Oct. 1994
*Walton, Mark ''REVIVAL: Abrahamson and Strakowski,'' Muttart Gallery Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue 5. Sept./Oct., 1994
*Abercrombie, Nora ''The Mexican Connection,'' Arts Bridge, Vol. 3, No. 2, Issue 8, 4. Fall 1994
*Walton, Mark ''Death Stalks the Muttart,'' Artichoke, Vol.6, No.3, Fall/Winter, 1994
*Ylitalo, Kathryn ''Kirsten Abrahamson,'' Visual Arts Newsletter, Vol.11, No. 9, Issue 53, p. 4. Feb. 1990,
*Tousley, Nancy ''Art College Exhibit a Show of Strength,'' Calgary Herald, p. C7 Sept. 27, 1985
*Tousley, Nancy ''Sculptor Pokes Fun at Tourists,'' Calgary Herald, April 1985

References

External links

e-artexte listKirsten Abrahamson Web Page

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abrahamson, Kirsten
Canadian ceramists
Living people
Women potters
Canadian women ceramists
Year of birth missing (living people)