Artist Emilia Arana

Emilia Arana - Artist Statement

I come to drawing and painting from a background of careful looking and listening. A master’s degree in art history trained me in the close and meticulous study of surfaces. As a pianist, I have to find the spirit of music at some level of my art as I study and evaluate it. This partnership of art and music has led me to abstract painting, following years of representational work.

After several careers, I find the best expression of my self in the mysterious unfolding of an abstract painting. That process is an ever-changing place where I can explore music, though in a dimension so different from the classical Schubertian world. The surface becomes a place where metaphor, space, color, and feeling can evolve, not only for the artist, but for the viewer who completes the journey of the painting.

Resume

Education

1997 MA Art History, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

1978 BS Accounting and MIS, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Solo Exhibitions

2008 "Lyrical Abstraction" Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson
2007 Hilltop Gallery, Nogales
2006 “Abstract Paintings: The Underlying Music”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson 2006
2005 Artist of the Month Gallery, Tucson
2005 Tucson Pima Public Library

Group Exhibitions

2007 Small Works Invitational, Davis Dominguez Gallery, Tucson
2007 Hilltop Gallery, Nogales
2007 Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2006 Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show
2005 Tucson Jewish Community Center
2005, 2006 Contents Interiors, Tucson
2004 and 2005 Tubac Center for the Arts
2004 Eller School of Business at The University of Arizona
2003-6 The Drawing Studio

Professional Experience

2008 Instructor, Abstract Painting, The Drawing Studio, Tucson, AZ
2008 Juror, The Drawing Studio Exhibit “The Practice of Abstract Painting”, Tucson, AZ
2007 Juror, Santa Rita Art League, Briggs Abstract Painting Competition
1997-2000 Adjunct Instructor, Art history, The University of Arizona and Pima College.
1997-2000 Lecturer in art and art history at The Drawing Studio, Tucson, AZ

Awards

1995 Rockefeller Foundation Travel Grant
1992 The University of Arizona Columbus Quincentenary Small Grants
1992 University of Arizona Latin American Area Center field research grant for archives in Mexico City



	Emilia Arana - Artist Statement I come to drawing and painting from a background of careful looking and listening. A master’s degree in art history trained me in the close and meticulous study of surfaces. As a pianist, I have to find the spirit of music at some level of my art as I study and evaluate it. This partnership of art and music has led me to abstract painting, following years of representational work. After several careers, I find the best expression of my self in the mysterious unfolding of an abstract painting. That process is an ever-changing place where I can explore music, though in a dimension so different from the classical Schubertian world. The surface becomes a place where metaphor, space, color, and feeling can evolve, not only for the artist, but for the viewer who completes the journey of the painting. Resume Education 1997 MA Art History, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 1978 BS Accounting and MIS, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Solo Exhibitions 2008 "Lyrical Abstraction" Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson 2007 Hilltop Gallery, Nogales 2006 “Abstract Paintings: The Underlying Music”, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson 2006 2005 Artist of the Month Gallery, Tucson 2005 Tucson Pima Public Library Group Exhibitions 2007 Small Works Invitational, Davis Dominguez Gallery, Tucson 2007 Hilltop Gallery, Nogales 2007 Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2006 Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild Annual Show 2005 Tucson Jewish Community Center 2005, 2006 Contents Interiors, Tucson 2004 and 2005 Tubac Center for the Arts 2004 Eller School of Business at The University of Arizona 2003-6 The Drawing Studio Professional Experience 2008 Instructor, Abstract Painting, The Drawing Studio, Tucson, AZ 2008 Juror, The Drawing Studio Exhibit “The Practice of Abstract Painting”, Tucson, AZ 2007 Juror, Santa Rita Art League, Briggs Abstract Painting Competition 1997-2000 Adjunct Instructor, Art history, The University of Arizona and Pima College. 1997-2000 Lecturer in art and art history at The Drawing Studio, Tucson, AZ Awards 1995 Rockefeller Foundation Travel Grant 1992 The University of Arizona Columbus Quincentenary Small Grants 1992 University of Arizona Latin American Area Center field research grant for archives in Mexico City





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