Kirsten Abrahamson
Kirsten Lillian Abrahamson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Ceramic artist |
| Known for | Ceramic fine art |
Kirsten Lillian Abrahamson is a Canadian artist specializing in ceramic fine art.
Personal background
Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1960, Abrahamson relocated to Canada during her high school years and subsequently acquired Canadian citizenship. She pursued studies at the Alberta College of Art and Design, where she obtained Diplomas in both Ceramics and Glassblowing. During the summers of 1984 and 1985, she attended ceramics workshops at the Banff Centre. Abrahamson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a focus on Ceramics in 1987, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture in 1990 from the University of Calgary. She has held artist-in-residence positions at both the Alberta College of Art and Design and the Banff Centre, later advancing to teaching roles within various post-secondary institutions.
Body of work
A pivotal moment in Abrahamson’s artistic journey was her 1993 trip to Mexico, where participation in the Day of the Dead celebrations deeply influenced her creative output. This experience led to exhibitions such as Revival at Muttart Gallery and Days of the Dead at The New Gallery in Calgary, both embodying the festival’s rich symbolism.
Her comprehensive education underpins a mastery of ceramic practices spanning from the 19th through the 21st centuries. Among her prominent pieces is Diary of a River, which has undergone critical examination; curator Carol Podedworny identified its ties to California Funk and Bay Area Ceramics movements, highlighting its vibrant, satirical storytelling rendered through bold colors. The artist’s use of low-fire clay combined with vivid glazes facilitates the creation of expansive, dynamic works.
Virginia Eichorn has noted Abrahamson’s self-referential narrative style within Diary of a River, which is included in the permanent holdings of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, along with multiple other pieces.
Abrahamson’s ceramic artistry is documented in significant publications like Gail Crawford's Studio Ceramics in Canada, supported by the Gardiner Museum, Canada’s exclusive institution dedicated to ceramic art. Her glazing methods are featured in two volumes authored by professional studio potter Robin Hopper. In 2012, Jonathon Bancroft-Snell Gallery showcased her work through Ceramics Monthly.
She has been selected for five out of ten National Biennial of Ceramics exhibitions, earning the "Prix Du Public" award at the concluding 10th Biennial—a juried national ceramics event representing artists from four distinct regions.
Awards
Abrahamson’s artistic achievements have been acknowledged through various honors, including:
- Recognition as one of 30 distinguished alumni during the University of Calgary Art Department's 50th Anniversary exhibition at Nickle Gallery, September 2016.
- Recipient of the Prix du Public at the 10th National Biennial of Ceramics held in Trois-Riviers, Quebec, 2002.
- Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award of Excellence during Alberta College of Art and Design's 75th anniversary celebrations in 2002.
- Secured 2nd Prize in the Fit for a King juried exhibition at Toronto’s Gardiner Museum in 1992.
Collections
Kirsten Abrahamson’s creations are part of numerous private and institutional collections, including:
- Burlington Art Centre, Ontario
- Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta
- Nickle Arts Museum at University of Calgary, Alberta
- Claridge Collection, Montreal, Quebec
- Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Alberta
- Alberta College of Art + Design Permanent Collection, Calgary
- City of Calgary Civic Art Collection (Triangle Gallery), Calgary
Exhibitions
Kirsten Abrahamson’s creations have been showcased extensively on a global scale, with exhibitions held across the United States—including San Diego, Minneapolis, New York, and San Angelo—as well as internationally in cities such as Taipei and Prague.
Solo exhibitions
- Queue, presented at Jonathon Bancroft Snell Gallery, October 2015
- Diary: of a River, initially displayed at Illingworth Kerr Gallery in Calgary; subsequently featured at London Regional Museum and Art Gallery in Ontario, and University of Waterloo Gallery between 2004 and 2005
- Feature, exhibited at Harbinger Gallery, Waterloo, in 2002
- Revival, shown at Muttart Gallery (currently known as Art Gallery of Calgary) in 1994
- Personal Mythologies, hosted by Nickle Arts Museum at the University of Calgary in 1990
- The Personal Mythologies of Dee Dee Alteridem, exhibited at University of Calgary Little Gallery, 1990
- Accidental Solo, displayed at Canadian Art Gallery of Calgary, 1989
- I Love A Parade, presented at Muttart Gallery (now Art Gallery of Calgary)
See also
Bibliography
Significant publications concerning Kirsten Abrahamson’s artistic contributions include:
- Chaytor, K and Krueger, J (eds.), Relational Learning: ACAD Ceramics Visiting Artists The First 3 Decades, ACAD Ceramics, Calgary, 2017
- Eichorn, Virginia, Diary of a River, ESPACE SCULPTURE, Vol. 75, Spring 2006
- Podedworny, Carol, Diary of a River, Illingworth Kerr Gallery, 2005
- Crawford, Gail, Studio Ceramics in Canada, Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Goose Lane Editions, 2005
- miniARTure Sample of work, The Triangle Gallery, 2004
- Hopper, Robin, Making Marks, Krause Publications, 2004; also The Ceramic Spectrum, 2nd Edition, 2001
- Shea, Melissa, Dead Dudes in Mexican Duds, Gauntlet, October 1999
- Tousley, Nancy, Critics Pick, Calgary Herald, October 6, 1999
- Laviolette, Mary-Beth, Oeuvre The Top: Ceramic Artist Kirsten Abrahamson Walks a Tight Line Between the Exuberant and the Absurd, Avenue Magazine, December 1997
- Auth ukn, The Lighter Side of Death, Where (Calgary), October 1994
- Walton, Mark, REVIVAL: Abrahamson and Strakowski, Muttart Gallery Newsletter, September/October 1994
- Abercrombie, Nora, The Mexican Connection, Arts Bridge Magazine, Fall 1994
- Walton, Mark, Death Stalks the Muttart, Artichoke Vol.6 No.3 Fall/Winter 1994
- Ylitalo, Kathryn, Kirsten Abrahamson, Visual Arts Newsletter Vol.11 No.9 February 1990
- Tousley, Nancy authored numerous pieces in Calgary Herald spanning from 1985 to 1999