Fresh from the Studio

Fresh from the Studio is a virtual program for W&TW artist members to share what they are working on now. During 10 minute presentations, each artist will present work in progress, newly finished artworks, recent or upcoming projects. Fresh from the Studio is your chance to see what is new and hear from contemporary artists. This program is free and open to the public.

In this special Red Dot edition of Fresh from the Studio, we will hear from artists participating in the event Umbreen Ahmad, Lorena Morales, Amy Scofield and Jana Swec.

About the Artists

Umbreen Ahmad‘s art is a form of mediation, and she relies on the depth of colors, dimensionality of texture and the softness that blending invokes to express emotions, self reflection and experiences. Ahmad uses diverse media and unassuming brush strokes to provoke, calm or  intrigue the viewer. Abstract art knows no bounds, and she loves the surprise that different blends of colors and brush strokes bring about and the feelings they provoke. The artist does not plan anything before she embarks on an abstract journey. The path reveals itself as she paints.

Lorena Morales‘ work, explores deeply personal themes of home and cultural identity, and reference feelings of nostalgia as well as ever-evolving expectations. As someone who left her country of birth, Venezuela, to build a new life in Texas, and once again in Angola, Africa, she is inspired to create by the places she visits. Through her artistic practice, she is continuously exploring what it means to embrace a new cultural identity, while also protecting the one she has brought along with her. Lorena’s works contemplate the relationship between color, lines and shapes that appear, and disappear, according to the changing light, or based on the position, and angle, of the viewer. The experience is often dynamic, pointing to the relationship between the materiality of the media, and the immateriality of light and shadow — not unlike what it feels like to question the meaning of ‘home’ and ‘culture,’ in an unfolding search for similarity, or what is absent, in new and unfamiliar environments.

Amy Scofield investigates the relationship between things; the commonality within disparity and particularly the mysterious similarities between the Natural and the Man-made. Her work expresses a harmonious collision of the two. In combining steel and stones, chrome and bark, she celebrates twin fascinations: the orderly mind, the origin of human innovation that produces beauty through architecture and design, and the wild, relentless and unmanageable character of Nature.

Jana Swec’s unique approach to painting can be characterized as a blending of the abstract with formal depictions of the natural world drawing from Nature and the primary elements of the universe. Her art evokes a mystery that seems free from convention, gimmicky effort or messaging. Swec’s inspiration is framed around the horizon lines of expansive landscapes and moody ocean vistas where there is a convergence with the sublimity of natural forms. Themes that motivate her works often deal with the energetics of relationships. Whether that is interpersonal or societal, it is in deeply feeling the dynamics of relating and observing the vastness of a collective mind that inspires her imagination. Swec has created a body of work that has appeared in scores of gallery exhibitions around the country. She has also executed large-scale murals for public art and architecture in Austin’s downtown district and Eastside. She has developed a noted presence in her local art community of Austin, TX, not only as a prolific creator but also as a devoted advocate for the visual arts in Texas.

Interested in participating in Fresh from the Studio? Click here to learn more about artist membership benefits and opportunities!

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