Kristen Dunkelberger
Kristen Dunkelberger (b. 1968) is an American watercolor artist living in Savoie, France. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing, with an emphasis in Watercolor, from the College of Art & Design at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas.
Dunkelberger has been included in various online spaces and exhibitions, including the 5th Annual Women Artists Exhibition and the 8th Annual Landscapes Exhibition, both with Fusion Arts Palm Springs in Palm Springs, California. Recent exhibitions include the Small Works National Juried Exhibition at The Rice Gallery in Overland Park, Kansas, and the 46th International Watermedia Exhibition with the Watercolor Society of Houston in Houston, Texas. Publications include Art Seen Magazine, New Visionary Magazine, Women United Art Magazine, and I Like Your Work’s Fall Exhibition Catalog.
Artist Statement
My work explores the meditative mental and emotional space achieved in my athletic adventures. Discovery, wonder, and ecology influence my watercolor paintings as I seek meaning and peace in the sublime beauty of our environment.
My interest in watercolor technique and landscape began with a semester abroad at university, studying the effects of latitude and altitude on light in Europe. Inspired by the work and tireless travels of J.M.W. Turner, my studies led to my own form of self-propelled nomadism. An interest in poetry, specifically haiku, influences the liberal editing of reality into painting. As Japanese haiku master Matsuo Bashō used poetry to trace his many long journeys on foot, I am inspired to use watercolor. The stamina to continue these adventures under discomfort and pain helps me examine new places in myself. My work is a vehicle to reflect on my internal world and experience as a woman exploring nature through adventure—often a male-dominated space.
Using a reductive visual language with both realistic and abstract elements, my work is both fact and fiction. Watercolor's fluidity, translucence, and temporal qualities communicate the light and mood of distinct locations. I amplify and alter color to convey the emotion of experiences as they flow together in action and memory. In my work, you will glimpse negative space forming suggestive line work and movement, encouraging contemplation of the dreamy and mysterious images.
Contact
www.kristendunkelbergerfineart.com
hello@kristendunkelbergerfineart.com
@kristendunkelbergerfineart
Interview
What inspires your art practice and keeps you motivated?
The sublime beauty of the landscape inspires and motivates me.
How does your mission as an artist influence the work you create?
My work is influenced by discovery, wonder, and ecology, while being present in the landscape.
Can you share a key part of your creative process that helps you stay focused?
Traveling through the landscape (self-propelled) keeps me focused as I engage in moving meditation.
What mindset tip do you rely on to overcome challenges in your art career?
Keep going—never underestimate the power of an obsession.
How do you hope your art impacts the world or your community?
I hope to share my personal growth and insight with others as a means to connect.
