Erin Friedman
Artist based in Bethesda, Maryland
ABOUT
Erin Friedman is an abstract artist based just outside of Washington, DC in Bethesda, Maryland. She has always been captivated by the experience and process of creating. Erin’s love of painting since childhood led her to study art in college at the University of Maryland. She graduated with a BFA in painting and a concentration in design. She gradually refined her process and found her niche in abstract mixed media work.
Erin’s goal is to make people feel deeply when they see her work. Her inspiration comes from moments and reactions to everyday life experiences.
Emotions have a great impact on her work and influence her paintings in a variety of ways. She believes in embracing these feelings and allowing them to become a part of her creative process.
As her style continues to evolve, her process remains as intimate as ever. She brings her personality as a sensitive and empathetic truth seeker to every blank canvas. Each piece is deeply personal. Erin’s work is free from formal structure and open to interpretation, a style that she hopes causes viewers to think about what the piece means to them.
Before pursuing her art full time, Erin spent over a decade working as a graphic illustrator where her clients included Warner Brothers, Mars Retail, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Smithsonian Institution, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Working for internationally recognized brands taught Erin the importance of providing an excellent experience for clients.
When she's not creating, Erin is chasing after her 3 energetic young children, Max, Silas and Ozzie.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am fueled by my art, which has been pouring out of me since childhood. When I paint, I am fully immersed in my work. Nothing inspires me more than the complexity of emotions. I aim to capture the essence of the human experience in my work. We all experience conflict, change, joy and sadness. I do my best to embrace this process and allow those feelings to be revealed throughout my work.
My paintings are created by pouring mixed acrylic onto a canvas and then building layers with paint using my palette knife. I will make marks, alter my ideas, add layers and change directions. Some pieces include marks of charcoal and wax pastel. The final images are free from formal structure and open to interpretation. Each piece is deeply personal, centered around embracing everything I feel and the connection that comes from our shared emotions.
Website: www.erinfriedmanart.com / Instagram: @erinfriedmanart