Artist Statement

I’m an abstract expressionist painter and the inspiration for my abstractions come from everywhere. I find when sketching, shapes appear that remind me of experiences or objects and places I’ve seen. The development of the forms, use of color and the structure of compositions are solely from my imagination.

My Painted Vessels are made from 3-D natural gourds. The form becomes the canvas, and the images are rendered on the gourd with acrylic paint and pen and then sealed.

The goal in both my 2 and 3-D artwork is to create seductive surfaces and provocative forms that involve the audience in a visual adventure discovering new associations and deeper meaning. I deliberately want the viewer to respond to the emotional qualities within the work and when they identify references to objects, to make them concrete in a story of the mind.

About the Artist

Nadine Saitlin has an undergraduate degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, along with postgraduate degrees earned from the University of Illinois, Champaign, and Michigan State University, East Lansing.

As an arts educator, Nadine demonstrated her expertise by crafting educational materials at CEMREL, Inc., a prominent national research and development laboratory. Her leadership extended to directing a NEA Artist-In-Residence program, providing instruction in visual art at Chicago State University, and holding the prestigious position of Executive Director at the Illinois Alliance of Arts Education.

Nadine’s accomplishments encompass numerous accolades, including the Dick Blick purchase prize, Best of Show at the All Florida Exhibition hosted by the Boca Raton Museum of Art, and the best of show honor from Kathryn Butler Gallery. Her work has found a home in various private collections. Noteworthy achievements include the cover of Kravis Center for the Arts’ Playbill, prominent display within the Palm Beach International Airport, and the showcasing of her paintings in the eBook titled A Walk Into Abstraction, Vol. #6, authored by Sue St. John.