Lorraine Shemesh has developed a unique body of work that marries palpable figuration and conceptual abstraction, by working with pattern on form in paint and clay. Her work dynamically illuminates experience in a universal and transformative manner. In clearly defined, yet unidentifiable surroundings, using intertwined figures and shapes in motion, Shemesh addresses ideas of disjuncture and harmony. The relationship between tension and tranquility is made visible as an expression of the human condition in lyrical form, through her tactile and luminous handling of materials.
Recently, an Artist-in-Residence at Dartmouth College, she is an MFA graduate of the Tyler School of Art, and has held teaching positions at Rhode Island School of Design and Amherst College. Shemesh is the recipient of a Rhode Island State Council for the Arts Grant in painting, a Yaddo Fellowship, two Watershed residencies, and a Distinguished Alumni Award from Boston University.
Shemesh’s work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally in museums. Her work is currently represented by Gerald Peters Gallery in New York and Santa Fe. She lives and works in New York City.
