Bio
Erin Alonso is an artist and printmaker who lives and works between Providence, Rhode Island and northern New Jersey. Currently a senior at the Rhode Island School of Design, Erin is working towards her BFA in printmaking with a concentration in drawing. Since she began studying engraving, Erin’s delicate, swirling mark-marking has emerged throughout her work, which spans a variety of media. Subtly layered, shimmering surfaces define her approach to printmaking, drawing, and watercolor painting.
Recent exhibitions include a solo show at Brown University's List Art Center as well as group shows at the RISD Museum’s Gelman Gallery, Brown University's List Art Center, RISD’s Woods-Gerry Gallery, and RISD’s Waterman Gallery, which are located in Providence, Rhode Island. This past summer, Erin attended a woodblock printing workshop at Anderson Ranch Arts Center.
Artist Statement
In my work, I draw inspiration from my surroundings, taking walks around Providence, ice skating, and going about my day-to-day life. I find that creating imagery of the world around me keeps me and my artwork grounded and present. My work is as much about a lifestyle of introspection embedded in the creative process as it is about exploration of mark-making and art materials. For me, lifestyle and creative exploration are intrinsically intertwined. Printmaking and drawing create a framework for personal reflection as my mark making reveals my state of mind as well as the feeling, or texture, of a moment. Furthermore, I find that printmaking supports a cyclical, creative lifestyle: One in which rumination and reflection are key components. Creating a printmaking matrix, whether that be an engraved copperplate, woodcut block, silkscreen image, or lithography stone, is one step in the process. Moving among a variety of tasks in the studio allows me, as an artist, to move like water, responding to yet persevering through the ebbs and flows of daily life.