ARTIST STATEMENT |
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As many artists before me have been drawn to the Hudson Valley, there will be many after me. I believe I became an artist solely because of our spectacular Hudson Valley. Everywhere you look there is remarkable scenery. When I consider a new painting, I navigate terrain through my camera's eye. I settle on something, paint outdoors for 3-4 sitttings, photograph every detail, and finish painting at home while referring to my photographs. My landscapes are expressively put on canvas with a passion that I never experienced before in life. There is so much to drink in and capture. My choice of medium is most often acrylic because of its versatility. It has the density of oils as well as the transparency of watercolors. Black and white photography speaks for itself. It's simple, crisp and clear. I favor this form when one or more of these conditions exist: inclement weather, infrastructural settings, exceptional and odd sites and people's countenances. In all my work, continuity, shapes and forms, composition and color are essential to my creative process. |
 "Garrison Horsefarm" One of my goals was to paint the "Garrison Horsefarm". It was an important landscape for me. It is a peaceful yet breathtaking view. I waited many years before I attempted it. One deterrent was sitting on the edge of a well-traveled highway. Nevertheless, I accomplished this, disregarding intermittent rainfalls and strong winds created by passing trucks. |
Vegetable and Fruit Series  I wanted to create still-life paintings in a style different from the traditional "fruit-in-a-basket-on-a-table" setting. Working from life, I realistically capture the subject and then using color as my inspiration, I work around the vegetables and fruit. I call this style of painting "Abstract Realism". |
 Flower SeriesI created this series to help me endure the dreary depths of winter. The free-flowing vibrant colors gave hope of newness and warmth that Spring inevitably brings. |
Fallen Tree in Autumn  Apparently, this remarkable tree, located in Croton, has been down from a storm for many years. When I first saw it, I photographed it many times to capture the beauty of this very special tree. In any season, there is so much to respond to when viewing the Fallen Tree"; the vibrant colors, the many twisted limbs, the peaceful water surrounding it. One is compelled to record it, in some fashion. |
| Often people approach me claiming that they wish they could paint or draw, but they feel that they have no talent. I encourage all people, especially children, to create art through any media whether it be writing poetry or music, or painting on canvas. There is an inherent talent in all of us. We just need to draw on that strength. |
BIOGRAPHY |
| Ms. Kennedy, who was born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, studied Music and Music Therapy at Queens and Queensborough Colleges. Naomi received a BA in Art from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
She can be found on location painting along the Hudson River Valley or at home working from her own photography. She has impressionistically captured the Hudson Valley with her landscapes and seascapes. Bold abstracts reflect her passion for life. Her still life-abstracts begin with rudimentary subjects and end in flights of fantasy. Her travel-worn Canon AE1 chronicles the Hudson Valley infrastructure and wildlife.
Ms. Kennedy resides in Cornwall, New York with her husband where she conducts art lessons in her studio. She also belongs to a local poetry group, is a jazz singer, and a freelance Art News Reporter. Naomi served as Co-President of Valley Artists Association. Ms. Kennedy’s group and member shows include Garrison Art Center, Photographers of Northern Westchester, Artists of Northern Westchester, CCOA Local Color 2 and the Valley Artists Association. Solo exhibitions include Temple Israel of Northern Westchester, Rafiki Café, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, John C. Hart Library, the Gallery at the Peekskill Inn, the Bear Mountain Toll House Visitor Center, and Two Alices Coffee House. Urban Attic Design in Chelsea, NYC, Cornell Gallery in Pleasantville, NY, and the 21st Century Gallery in Nyack NY are among the galleries that have represented her. Currently she is represented by J. A. Di Bello's Gallery in Montgomery, NY. Information about art lessons with Naomi Kennedy. |
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