One Hundred: The (Un)Essential Series with Rebekah Nordstrom
One Hundred Paintings in One Hundred Days of One Hundred Donations while Wearing One Dress
Events
Exhibiting | August 6 - September 25
Virtual Opening | Friday, August 6th, 5:30pm PST, Facebook Live
Opening Reception | Friday, August 6th, 6:00-8:00pm PST
Artist talk on Instagram Live @the_heartbox, 3pm PST
Plein Air Workshop, Buffalo Park (pre-registration required), August 28th, 8am - 12pm PST
Live Painting at The HeArt Box, September 11th, 1pm PST
For 100 days, from January 1, 2021 through April 10, 2021, I completed a still life painting a day of a random object in my home that would be given to charity upon completion of the painting. My intention was to declutter and make space to breathe during what had been a somewhat oppressive year. Simultaneously, I was a participant in the “100 Day Dress Challenge” offered by the Oregon company Wool&, where women from around the world challenge themselves to wear the same merino wool dress for 100 days in a row. These explorations of minimalism and sustainable fashion forever changed my perceptions of what is deemed essential in our modern times.
Over the isolation of the past year, I found myself thinking deeply about the essential and the non essential. These ideas of wether one is essential or not became part of our shared lexicon in 2020. While confined inside the 4 walls of our home, I became aware that many of the things, the stuff, that we surround ourself with are not anywhere near essential and instead have become frozen in sentiment.
I developed this series as a way to celebrate the unessential. Things that at one time brought joy might now collect dust. Our lives are fluid and the things we spend our lives with need to be fluid along with us. Over the one hundred days of the series, I stood at my easel in meditation while painting the stuff that no longer serve my needs. Memories of experiences with each object whirl around each painting in this series. It is time to pass on the (un)essential in order to continue its story.
Rebekah Nordstrom comes to her art with a varied personal history. She’s been an interior designer, an amateur astronomer, and a snowboard instructor, amongst many other wild and wonderful occupations. In 2017, she left all prior callings behind to begin her career as an oil painter. “I have never applied myself to anything so completely before in my life”, says Rebekah. “Painting the world around me has become all consuming, which is wonderful.”
Rebekah is a self taught artist. She is known for her energetic brushwork within small works. She believes that painting as frequently as she can, often at the expense of the needs of family and friends, is essential as she works her way towards mastery. Rebekah has exhibited nationally, and her artwork can be found in private collections throughout the world.
As is the case of many creatives. I have always seen the world as a petrie dish of expression through exploration. After I earned my BA in Interior Design from North Dakota State University, I strived to help others walk in beauty. Though I am academically “unschooled” as a painter, I have always surrounded myself with the arts and the artist. My love of travel has taken me to museums around the world where I lose myself in the joy of the brushwork of others.
I love to paint small and to paint often as I work to evolve my artistic voice. I also believe in making original artwork accessible to as many people as possible, knowing the importance of surrounding oneself with original works with thick juicy paint. Paintings for the people. Every painting that I sell is completely unique as I do not make reproductions of my work.
I am extremely grateful to you that have supported artists by purchasing original artworks. Without your patronage, there could be no artists, so I am ever so appreciative.
www.rebekahnordstromartworks.com