<  BillKnudstrup@aol.com Bill's Blog |
Artist’s StatementI grew up in a large family and spent my childhood on the beaches and dunes of Lake Michigan’s eastern shore. The subject matter for my paintings comes from those life experiences. The memories of that childhood propel my many paintings of children playing in the sun, sand and water. In other works I explore the images of people and situations in my adult life. My paintings produce the impression of a specific time and place while the subject matter plays on timeless memories.I create paintings that express energy on many levels; visually, emotionally, intellectually and instinctively. Just as a Michael Jackson music video is a complex combination of music, visual elements, story telling and poetry a painting can have the complex appeal of color, line, composition/design and subject. This union of energies produces an artwork which has a substantial presence in the room. I work in series with all of the paintings relating to each other around a theme. In 2006 I showed a group of paintings which explored the concept of “Personal Bonds.” Each of the paintings was based on a situation in life in which an individual, through contact with another, either broadened their horizons or strengthened their bonds to a group. In the summer of 2007 I exhibited a series of 22 paintings at the Mallet's Creek branch of the Ann Arbor Library entitled “The Children of Summer” which showed the joy that children find in the sun, sand and water at the beaches of Michigan. And, most recently, in April of 2009 I had a solo exhibit of paintings titled “The Games We Play” which compared children’s games with those played by adults. Solo Exhibits• March, 2008 – Ann Arbor Women Artists’ Spring Exhibit, Ann Arbor Public Library• October, 2007 – “A Matter of Perception,” Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti, MI - also curator • May, 2007 – “Volunteers 3, Third Annual Docent Show,” Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti, MI • March, 2007 – “Chelsea Painters,” Power Center for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor, MI • November, 2006 – “Diversity,” Ann Arbor Public LIbrary – Chelsea Painters Fall show • May, 2006 – “Gratitude,” Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti, MI _ Gallery docent show • December, 2007 – Ypsilanti District Library, Ypsilanti, MI – “Celebrating Personal Bonds” Recent Group Exhibits • August, 2007 – Ann Arbor Public Library, Ann Arbor, MI – “The Children of Summer” • July, 2007 – Okemos Public Library, Okemos, MI – “The Children of Summer” • September, 2006 – Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti – “Celebrating Personal Bonds” • 1995 - University of Michigan North Campus Commons – “The Music of Paint” series • 1990 - University of Michigan North Campus Commons – “Golden Eggs “ series & “Lake Michigan Shoreline” series • 1989 - Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor – “Unstable Forms” • 1988 - University of Michigan Hospitals Gifts of Art Program - “Friends, Relatives and Lovers” Recent Group Exhibits• October, 2009 – “More Than the Sum of Our Parts ” Chelsea Painters fall exhibit – also curator• June, 2009 – Ann Arbor Women Artists’ Spring Exhibit, Second prize Riverside Arts Center, Ypsilanti, MI • November, 2008 – “ Eight on the Eighth” – Chelsea Gallery, Chelsea, MI • September, 2008 – “Elements” – Chelsea Painters at the Power Center for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor, MI • March, 2008 – Ann Arbor Women Artists’ Spring Exhibit, Ann Arbor Public Library • October, 2007 – “A Matter of Perception,” Riverside Arts Center, Ypsilanti, MI - also curator • May, 2007 – “Volunteers 3,” Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti, MI • March, 2007 – “Chelsea Painters,” Power Center for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor, MI • November, 2006 – “Diversity,” Ann Arbor Public Library – Chelsea Painters Fall exhibit • May, 2006 – “Gratitude,” Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti, MI _ Gallery docent exhibit Recent Awards• Schoolcraft College, 2007 Purchase AwardGallery Affiliations:Chelsea Gallery, Chelsea, MI www.chelsea-gallery.comOther Affiliations• Chelsea Painters, Chelsea, MI – member www.chelseapainters.com• Riverside Art Center, Ypsilanti, MI – docent www.riversidearts.com • Ann Arbor Women Artists, Ann Arbor, MI – member www.annarborwomenartists.com Reviews• April.19. 2009 Ann Arbor News, “Knudstrup’s ‘Games’ can be light or dark”– “The Games We Play” solo exhibit• May/June, 2008 –Art Showcase Magazine - showcase artists • August .26.2007 – Ann Arbor News, “Color Amps up Fun In The Sun” – “Children of Summer” solo exhibit • November.19.2006 – Ann Arbor News, “Chelsea Painters display their diversity” • November.24.2006 – Ann Arbor News, On Display, “Riverside Shows Paintings” - “Celebrating Personal Bonds” solo exhibit • 1988 – Ann Arbor News, “Chelsea should take pride in its talented painters” Education: 1973 – Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |