LINDA’S VITA

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I paint to remember – how the light is at a certain time on a certain day, whether the shadows are hard on not, how soft the colors are. I try to capture what I am seeing and feeling, and hope the viewer can as well.
I like to paint watercolors with a big brush, using the accidents, transparency and freshness of the watercolor medium itself.

PERSONAL

I was born in Syracuse, NY, moved around a lot, and at age ten moved to and attended schools in Urbana, IL and graduated from Hanover College, IN, in 1966. While at Hanover, I attended the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland my junior year. Following graduation, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bizerte, Tunisia from 1966-1968, teaching English in the College Moyen de Jeunes Files and the College Technique de Garcons.

After returning to the US I taught fourth grade in Princeton NJ and Title I reading and math in Charlottesville, VA. While teaching I completed an Associate Arts Degree in Art at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

When I moved back to Syracuse in 1990, I began painting and exhibiting full time. I taught drawing and watercolor to elementary students in a city school and adult students privately in a nearby church or museum.

In 2002 I was able to spend six months in Florence, Italy, studying Italian and oil painting with the Syracuse University Programs Abroad center. I spent two years again in Florence, 2008-2010, studying Italian and oil painting and teaching drawing and watercolor painting. After each session of my watercolor classes, my students have had a show of their work and a party. See my website, classes, at www.LindaAbbey.com.

In 2016 I moved back to Charlottesville. I painted a series of the downtown mall in 2017. Presently I am working on techniques and ways to add more sparkle to my paintings.

AWARDS

-Canastota Annual Small Scale Juried Exhibition, Canastota, NY. Best Watercolor 1992, Delavan Aware 1994, Honorable Mention 1995

-Golden Rule from JC Penny and McKinley Brighton School, 1997 Chancellor’s house booklet received a bronze medal from the Council for

-Advancement and Support of Education, 2001
-Awarded a grant from John DeFrancisco Art and Cultural Program, 2003

Who’s -Who of American Women, 2004-2008

EXIBITIONS: (*solo shows)

-*Straun Art Gallery, Jacksonville, IL, 1988
-Hospice of Central New York, Syracuse, *1994, 2003 (with Wendy Harris)

       *2007
-Regional Art show SUNY, Institute of Technology, Utica/Rome 1994,1997-2000,

       2002
-Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY, 1995

-*Knapp Vineyards Restaurant, Penn Yan, NY, 1995-1997
-Allentown Outdoor Art Festival, Buffalo, NY 1996
-Syracuse Arts and Crafts Festival, 1996
-Cannon Park Invitational Show, Cazenovia, 1999, 2000
-New England Watercolor Society North American Open Show, Boston, MA 1998

-Gallery 210 Juried Exhibition, Syracuse, 1999
-Lagerquist Gallery, Atlanta GA, 1999
-Founded Pleiades (seven artists) in 1998. We exhibited at:

        Julies Place,1998, Veerhoff Gallery, Washington DC, 1999 Skaneateles Music Festival, August 2000                        Temple AdathYeshurun, Syracuse, 2001 Goodsight Gallery, Cazenovia, NY 2001 Utica College,

        Edith Barrett Gallery, 2002, Watermark Gallery, Baltimore, MD, June 2001
-Skaneateles AAUW “Celebrate Women in Art, 2002-2006
-On My Own Jim’s Framing and Gallery, Syracuse, 2002-2005
-WAVE (Women’s Art Vibrates Everywhere) juried, Syracuse, 2003

-Onondaga Park -Tour of Homes, Painting watercolors of homes on tour,

        Syracuse, 1997-2002, 2010, 2012-2014
-Co-founder of Art on the Porches, Syracuse, June 2001, 2003, 2005

-*Fox&Fowle Architects, 22 West 19th St, NY, NY Nov 2003-Jan 2004

-Delavan Gallery, Syracuse, NY, March 2004, Nov 2006
-Central Adirondacks Art Show, Old Forge, NY, 2004-2007, 2012, 2013

-*Nestico's Restaurant, North Syracuse, 2001-2008, mural on the back wall

-*Point of View Optical, Syracuse, 2002-2015

-The Boathouse Gallery, Inlet, NY, summers 2006-2010

-*FXFowle Architects, NY, NY. April-May 2008

-Cazenovia Counterpoint, Cazenovia, NY, July 2011,

-*Beauchamp Library, Syracuse, Sept 2011, 2013

-*Maxwell Memorial Library, Camillus, NY 2012

-60/60 Everson Museum, Syracuse, June 2012-2015
-*Soule Library, Dewitt, NY, 2014
-*Ramblers Road Lodge, 2014 to present
-*New Dominion Bookshop, Charlottesville, VA, Feb-Mar, 2017

-Wood’s Inn Hotel, Inlet NY, summer 2017

-*Java Java Coffeehouse, Charlottesville, VA, Oct 2017

-*Arden Place, Charlottesville, VA, Nov-Dec, 2017

-*Fellini's Restaurant, Charlottesville, VA, Oct-Nov 2018, 2019

OTHER

-Three paintings picked for Knapp vineyard Christmas label and cards,1995-1997

-“Magazine 13” a local Syracuse television program, featured my watercolors of

       Onondaga Park, 1999
-“Trees for Onondaga Park” – 12 prints of my watercolors in a plexi frame raised

       monies to replace trees damaged by a storm, 1998
-Commissioned by Syracuse University for six paintings for commemorative

       coasters (and chocolate bars!) for awards to selected SU alumni, 2000

      One painting was reprinted and used as awards for SU winners in the “On My

      Own Time” art competition, 2000
-I was commissioned by the SU Chancellor’s wife for a painting of their home for

       the cover of a booklet celebrating the home’s 100th anniversary, 2000

-Three painted chairs at Hospice, 2001 to present
-36 small oil paintings of Onondaga Park “Songs of Onondaga Park”, in the

       firebarn’s permanent collection, Onondaga Park, Syracuse, 2015

-The painting ”Palm Sunday, St Mark’s Square, Venice” in Lemoyne College,

       Syracuse, NY permanent collection, 2016
-I made 60 copies of “KittySocks” book that I wrote and illustrated, 2015-2016,

       which I gave to friends and family.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

CLASSES:
McKinley-Brighton school (volunteer), Syracuse, 1995-2003

Neighborhood classes (nearby church, home) 1995-2001, 2004-2008, 2010-2013
Everson Museum, Syracuse, 1997, May, Oct-Nov 2001
Gallery 210, Syracuse, 1999
Schwienfurth Gallery, Auburn, NY, summer 2000
Florence Italy, 2008-2010