Alison Burkhard: capstone

Abstract

The artist's statement: As a painter, I create nature inspired work from both memory and reference, allowing the two to blur in a way that reflects how I experienced them, as impressions that move, shift, and breathe. Working with acrylic on canvas, my brushwork builds in flowing strokes that mirror the way these scenes lived inside me. I paint with the intention of conveying the pause it created, the breath it asked me to take, the nudge it gave me back into the present and asked me to reflect on how I view the world. Whether it is the shimmer of leaves in a certain light or the unexpected intimacy of a building’s window framing the outside world, each painting represents real moments I encountered that were striking enough to stay with me long after they passed. I have always been drawn to nature, it is where I have felt the most at peace, where beauty is constant and judgment is absent. My creativity flourished when I leaned into this, allowing my thoughts and experiences to intertwine with the world around me to create art reflecting how beauty and hope coexist with pain and struggle. While our stories of struggle may be different, the emotions beneath them are often shared. That recognition shaped my purpose as an artist, creating for those who have known struggle but still long for light. In my latest body of work, I have explored the powerful symbolism of windows as a mechanism for shaping perception. Traveling across twelve countries opened my eyes to a world far larger than the one I had known. During these travels, I became increasingly intrigued and drawn to what I call window moments, unexpected instances where the outside world is framed just so, subtly drawing attention from those who notice. Each painting directly references specific places I stood gazing through a window, with brushstrokes translating the way the scenes came alive in my mind onto the canvas. In a world where constant movement is normalized, these paintings offer an entry point into new ways of experiencing the world, where small details expand, time slows, and a fleeting encounter becomes a place to rest. The work offers the same quality of aliveness found in nature, the rejuvenating experience where moments of beauty serve as a compelling reminder to be intentional with how life is lived, perhaps remembering more often to let in the light.