Although my paintings have titles, I’m not interested in story lines but rather in states of being. What I’m after is a non-verbal space that feels unmediated, timeless and fresh. Abstract painting for me is a way of creating a structured object that exists in a sort of continuous present tense for the viewer; a combination image-and-physical object that one can relate to with the body and also with the eyes, mind and heart. I want the experience to feel whole, complete and transformative.

KAREN SCHIFANO was born in 1955 and received an MFA in painting from Hunter College (1983) in New York City. She has shown widely in group and solo exhibitions in the United States and is the recipient of a number of awards, including fellowships at both the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, NH, and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA. She lives and works in New York City.

Karen Schifano Website