While traditional plein air painters capture their outdoor environment, artist Maria Calandra takes a different approach. Wandering the coastal headlands of Maine, exploring the waters of Florida and venturing into the rolling fields of southern France, Calandra finds inspiration in nature for her dynamic oil landscapes.
The artist’s Brooklyn studio buzzes with energy after she returns from such invigorating excursions. “I paint while thinking about that moment during a walk when you begin to feel the vibrations of the earth pulsing through your feet and down your spine, memory, intuition and residual vibrations taking the reins,” she describes.
Calandra’s painting style mimics this intensity as she translates a stream of consciousness through fluid brushstrokes and oscillating organic forms. Instinct guides the artist, who describes the action as “automatic painting.”
The artist will be featured in a group exhibition in January Half gallery in New York, followed by a solo exhibition in June at the gallery’s Los Angeles location. Learn more about Calandras website and follow along Instagram.
