BIOGRAPHY
Kimberlee Connelly Alemian was born in Spokane, Washington, USA. Trained in Boston and New York, she studied with George Nick, Paul Rahilly, and Rob Moore at the Massachusetts College of Art for her BFA. She received a full scholarship to Boston University, College of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts where she studied with David Aronson, John Moore, Richard Raiselis and Graham Nickson. After receiving her MFA at BU, Alemian went to the New York Studio School to continue her studies with Graham Nickson.
While at Boston University she was introduced to the work of the Bay Area Figurative Artists. This group of painters included Richard Diebenkorn, David Park, Elmer Bischoff and Nathan Olivera. The dynamic force of their powerful compositions, the way they use light, color, and the process of applying paint—leaving abstract passages to describe the subject—are elements that have always interested her. She studied their works, the work of Willen de Kooning and contemporary artist Cynthia Packard, adopting their methods of strong, gestural brushwork and aggressive color.
In working from observed surroundings, my objective is not necessarily physical likeness, but rather to aim for the most concentrated form of a felt visual experience. The realistic rendering of numerous visual facts does not necessarily bring a painting to completion. George Nick used to say to us, “Don’t render the motif, let cameras do that kind of work.” Guided by a developed sensibility, countless conscious and subconscious choices are made through the process of creating a work. In my view, it is this process of careful selection and repositioning of the developing paintings’ elements that is at the center of the creative act.
The focus of my painting, therefore, is about process and search. I am drawn to a certain rawness in the making of a mark. My paintings evolve over a period of time and their history can be glimpsed through the construction and reworking of them creating surfaces that reveal preexisting stages, as in a palimpsest.
Between 1964 and 1967, Alemian lived in Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand respectively. Her father worked with Gillette just when United States companies were exploring and opening up the Asian markets. Here she was introduced to exotic art and architecture. Her family moved to Germany in 1967 where she thrived in the art classes at Munich International School and studied art privately with Marika Popovitz. She has traveled to France on numerous occasions with her husband, Richard, and looked closely at the work of Ingres, Poussin, Degas and Matisse. It was her first visit to Italy, however, that profoundly influenced her sense of color and structure. The rich golden tones of the Italian masters hit a unique spot in her sensibilities.
EDUCATION
1989–91 BOSTON UNIVERSITY, VISUAL ARTS DIVISION. MFA in Painting.
Studied with: David Aronson, Stuart Baron,
Sidney Hurwitz, John Moore,
Graham Nickson, Richard Raiselis. (Scholarship recipient.)
1988
MASSACHUSETTS
COLLEGE OF ART. Boston, MA . BFA in Painting. (with Honors) Studied with: George Nick, Paul Rahilly, Rob Moore.
Studied
NEW
YORK STUDIO SCHOOL OF DRAWING, PAINTING AND SCULPTURE.
New York, NY. Studied with: Graham Nickson. (1991)
I have had the good fortune to study with excellent faculty who are themselves professional artists. I would like to mention David Aronson, Graham Nickson, John Moore, George Nick, Richard Raiselis and Paul Rahilly. Each had a very different, valuable influence on my work.
Gardner Colby Gallery, Naples, FL
North River Art Society Marshfield Hills, MA
Soprafina.com, Boston, MA
South Shore Art Center Cohasset, MA, Gallery
Arts Directory listing in Art Links List (artlinkslist.com)
Listed in Ask Art (askart.com)
GRAPHIC DESIGN/WEB DESIGNS
richardalemian.com
kimalemian.com
oldsculpingallery.org (original site)
RESOURCES/LINKS