Gretchen Warsen

get to know Gretchen Warsen

“I make large-scale abstract paintings that are a mix of gestural, hand-drawn lines, washes, and opaque and translucent color layers of water-based paint—acrylic, gouache, watercolor and ink on Yupo paper, canvas or wood panels. Drawing and mark-making serve as the structural bones and accents, creating a foundational architecture, while lively paint and ink layers create depth, texture, atmosphere, and mood.

I am never bored. It’s exhausting, actually, but fortunately also delightful and full of wonder. As an engaged, creative observer, I move through my day with my senses open; gathering, tucking away, and studying. No one moment is better inspiration than another—an early-morning walk along a well-worn path in the woods, standing in line at Target, quiet moments of prayer, or driving my teenage daughter to ballet class are all equally-engaging. These moments become a “collection.” Once I’m in the studio, any experience, object or memory that bubbles up is fair game. As an abstract painter, I often incorporate representational drawing as a tool for keeping the lines and marks interesting, plus I love how really learning to see something by studying it makes me appreciate it more. Many years of practice has revealed repeated and consistent sources of inspiration: documentaries on math or the universe, Ikea instruction manuals, insect wings, Mary Oliver’s poetry, clouds, scripture, and my dad’s engineering drawings.”