Loren Burkey-Mixed Media Artist

 I am an American contemporary visual artist living in the midwest.  I create and exhibit both digital and classical media.  I have won several honors for my work and strive to increase my knowledge and skill set to produce both breadth and depth in my ever expanding artistic vision.   My works originate from a wide range of materials and personal ideas. Each piece expresses emotions that are relatable to any viewer, no matter the theme’s complexity.  

 

I use materials as diverse as wood, stone, metal, fabrics, acrylic media, found objects and 3D printed models in my classical compositions. By embedding thought into my materials, I aim to change our perception of the world we live in.  While making art, I wish to convey the thoughts that I have in my head, and make them readable to others that engage with my compositions.

 

The subject matter of my abstract work is the physical manifestation of both traditional, and nontraditional approaches to art making.  Each piece takes on a visual identity of its own. My focus on process and originality of form allows me to arrive at a harmonious “unity” within the structure of the work itself.  I know a piece is successful when the elements describe my theme through a precise order of the principles and elements of design. 

 

My life's artistic  journey began by drawing, painting and modeling as a very young child.  After showing a keen interest in my father's artwork, at the age of 5, I was introduced to abstract form and concept while enrolled in a children's art class at Wooster College.  During that time, I remember being excited by the contrasting nature between the vast experiences that the artworld had to offer. I began to understand the visual language from illustrations that I would try to recreate through drawing, the Genre scenes that my father painted, and the abstract works of the great modern artists.    

 

My mounting interest in the  Fine Arts continued throughout my school years as I was placed in gifted and talented classes.  After secondary school, I earned an undergraduate degree in Fine Art, then a Masters degree from the University of Toledo. During that time, I was exposed to digital media, classical drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture techniques.  This experience, coupled with the access to a world class museum attached to my art school, allowed me to gain a unique understanding of imitationalism, which complimented my love for formalist ideas and practices. The juxtaposition between my experience with imitationalism, and formalism has fueled my passion for creation to this day.