Liz Van Buren
Statement
My work has always been rooted in exploration and play. Most of my abstract acrylic paintings are a result of exploring a variety of exciting and seductive textures, and how different colors complement each other. I rarely use paintbrushes, but rather explore the paint with my hands, palette knives, and other applicators. I listen to music and allow the music and my feelings to guide the process. During my time in graduate school for art therapy, my paintings really became a way to process my experiences at my various internships, but through this, they also became a mode of self-exploration and allowing myself to be vulnerable and experiment. The major theme of my work is the beauty in chaos and the unknown.
Bio
Liz is a lifelong resident of Yonkers, NY and has always embraced her love for everything creative. She majored in Creative Writing with a minor in Visual Arts as an undergrad, and most recently graduated with her MS in Art Therapy/Counseling in 2018. Her work has been featured in Astoria Art Weekend (2014), Greenpoint Gallery (2015), and Yonkers Arts Weekend (2016, 2018). Working as a domestic violence counselor, Liz uses painting as a form of self-care and to combat the vicarious trauma that she is at times exposed to as a result of working with such a challenging population.