Throughout her career, Abrahamson has worked across multiple mediums, including glassblowing, pottery, and sculpture. Her practice explores themes of identity, personal experience, and the intersection of culture and history. Her sculptures often evoke a sense of multicultural identity.
Abrahamson's work was influenced by a sojourn in Mexico in 1993, where she and a colleague experienced the Day of the Dead festival. Out of that experience, she and her colleague created a special exhibition entitled Revival shown at the Muttart Gallery.[1] Subsequently, they had a second exhibition, Days of the Dead at The New Gallery in Calgary. Abrahamson portrayed the symbolism of this festival.
Through her extensive course of studies in ceramic art, Kirsten Abrahamson has both an understanding of ceramic traditions and the formal skills in ceramic arts developed from the 19th through to the 21st century. Her foremost work, Diary of a River, has been the subject of critical analysis.
Abrahamson's earlier work placed in front of her later work to showcase her developing art style, Jonathon Bancroft Snell Gallery,London, Ontario. October 2015 Kirsten Abrahamson.
That work was reviewed in a short book by Carol Podedworny. Podedworny observed that Abrahamson's work reflects the California Funk and Bay Area Ceramics[2] traditions and that Abrahamson's "bold, satirical and colourful leanings are reflected in her narrative and figurative works that have a strong personal introspective penchant".[3] The use of low-fire clay and glazes permit the construction of large objects and brighter colours.[3]
Similarly, Virginia Eichorn's article, about Diary of a River,[4] featured in ESPACE SCULPTURE,[5] observed that Abrahamson's studio work takes an autobiographical approach in the creation of ceramic art that reflects the themes in her life.[5]Diary of a River was subsequently acquired by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts as part of its permanent collection.[4] A number of her other works have been also been acquired by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.[6]
Abrahamson's ceramic art is illustrated and exemplified in several ceramics texts. One of these is Gail Crawford's book Studio Ceramics in Canada, a standard reference text published with the assistance of the Gardiner Museum, the only museum in Canada dedicated to ceramic art. The text discusses and illustrates Canadian ceramic art work and ceramic artists in Canada. Kirsten Abrahamson's glazing work has also been used for illustrative purposes in two books by professional studio potter Robin Hopper. In 2012 her work was featured by the Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery's promotion in Ceramics Monthly.
Kirsten Abrahamson's works were represented in 5 of the 10 National Biennial of Ceramics exhibitions. At the 10th Biennial she was awarded the "Prix Du Public". During its 20-year history, this exhibition was a juried national ceramics show. At its 10th and final exhibition, the participants were selected by curators who invited submissions from artists in each of four regions.
Abrahamson's work has been recognized through numerous awards and grants, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Alberta College of Art and Design in 2002. She has also participated in exhibitions both nationally and internationally, showcasing her sculptures in public collections across Canada.
Abrahamson has exhibited widely in Alberta, across Canada, and internationally. Her work is included in several public collections and she has received recognition for her contributions to the Canadian art scene.
The 2002 Feature exhibition at the Harbinger Gallery of Waterloo.Ceramic Robots on display at Jonathon Bancroft Snell Gallery,London, Ontario. October 2015, Kirsten Abrahamson.
Kirsten is passionate about animals, especially cats, and is an active supporter of Kitchener Stray Cat Rescue and various other online efforts to support cats.
Tousley, Nancy Art College Exhibit a Show of Strength,Calgary Herald, p.C7 Sept. 27, 1985
Tousley, Nancy Sculptor Pokes Fun at Tourists,Calgary Herald, April 1985
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References
↑ Walton, Mark REVIVAL: Abrahamson and Strakowski, Muttart Gallery Newsletter, Volume 6, Issue 5. Sept./Oct., 1994
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