These paintings stem from moments that occur in my everyday life. They come from a personal place, these daily moments, as well as a response to the political climate today. At home, watching my six year old grow, learn and continuously evolve is often joyful and sometimes challenging. Unfortunately, right now there is also the addition of profound anxiety about the state of our country that permeates these moments. Through my paintings, I interpret this relationship between abundant joy and deep concern that shapes my day. By analyzing these forces in my work, I am able to further explore their meaning and understand their value.
Artist Biography
Elyce Abrams is a painter based in Philadelphia. Her work, that stems from moments that occur in her everyday, at home as well as events in the world at large, explores the relationship between abundant joy and deep concern that often shapes our lives. By analyzing these forces in her work, she is able to further process and understand their value, often finding new meaning in color, composition, and movement. Abrams received her MFA in 2004 from the University of the Arts and her BFA from Tufts University/School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Recent work has been included in solo and group shows: We're All Here, Philadelphia International Airport, Terminal C; Spectral Materiality, Blank Space Gallery, NYC; Lost In The Funhouse, Spring Break Art Fair, NYC; Encore, NoBA Artspace, Bala Cynwyd, PA; Something New Everyday, NoBA Projectspace, Bala Cynwyd, PA; Double Take, CFEVA, Philadelphia, PA; CONTEXT Art Fair during Art Basel, with Blank Space Gallery, Miami, FL; Long Distance, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. Her work is included in public and private collections throughout the US and abroad.
Education
2004 University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA MFA, Painting
1999 Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA Art Education PA Teaching Certification
1996 Tufts University, Medford, MA BA, Social Psychology
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA BFA with concentration in Painting
1994 Syracuse University School of Foreign Study, Florence Italy Studio Arts Program
Awards & Honors
2018 Inliquid/Dick Blick Mircogrant to help fund solo exhibit at the Philadelphia International Airport in 2019
2017 Inliquid/Dick Blick Mircogrant to help fund solo exhibit, Something New Every Day at NoBA Projectspace, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Painting Award, Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2017, State Museum of PA, Harrisburg, PA
2005 Artist’s Grant, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT
2001 - 2004 MFA Merit Scholarship, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Newhall, Edith, “In the Abstract,” Philadelphia Inquirer, February 10, 2006
Strauss, R.B., “First Friday Spotlight,” aroundphilly.com, February 2006
Strauss, R. B., “February’s First Friday,” The Weekly Press, February 1, 2006
Rice, Robin, “Spring Arts Preview: Elyce Abrams – Shaping Forms, new paintings,” City Paper, January 19 – January 26, 2006
Fallon, Roberta, “New Mayer in Town,” Philadelphia Weekly, December 28, 2005
Newhall, Edith, “A New Approach,” Philadelphia Inquirer, December 2005
Strauss, R.B., “Mayer and Highwire Galleries,” aroundphilly.com, January 7, 2005
Strauss, R.B.,” A First Friday,” The Weekly Press, January 5, 2005
Print Media
FreshPaintMagazine, Issue 8, July 2015
Alter Hall Art Collection at the Fox School of Business, Temple University, catalogue, 2010
The William and Mary Review, Volume 44, May 2006
“SUMFA 10: Celebrating the First Ten Years”, The University of the Arts, June 2005, Exhibition catalogue
Delaware Center For the Contemporary Arts, Exhibition Catalogue, Oct. 2001
Collections
Capital One, Wilmington, DE Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, PA Park Towne Place, Philadelphia, PA Keystone Property Group, Conshohocken, PA Park Towne Place, Philadelphia, PA The Fox School of Business at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA Glenmede, New York, NY Fandango, Los Angeles, CA Sullivan Curtis Monroe, Irvine, CA Watson Land Company, Carson, CA Various Private Collections
Professional Experience
2009 - 2014 Adjunct for painting and drawing, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
2000 - 2005 Art teacher K – 6, MaST Community Charter School, Philadelphia, PA
Exhibitions
Solo
2019 We're All Here, Philadelphia Airport, Terminal C
2018 Art in Rotation, Curtis Building, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Something New Everyday, NoBA Projectspace, Bala Cynwyd, PA
2013 Two-person Exhibition, Blank Space Gallery, Chelsea, NY
2010 Duo Exhibition, Blank Space Gallery, Chelsea, NY
2009 Long Distance, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
