Biography
Saskia Eubanks works with various approaches associated with American Realist theory and technique. Her paintings often refer to a historical visual language reaching back to their first documentation in the Iconologia, which inspired figurative painters and sculptors from ancient Greece onward. She infuses this classical language of imagery with contemporary issues and ideas rooted in her own translation of the experience of seeing.
Saskia is represented by galleries in Philadelphia, Boston, and New Orleans, where she retains regular exhibition schedules.
Saskia was born and raised In New Orleans, Louisiana to a family of artists on one side and collectors on the other. Her formal artistic training took place at the first American Museum School, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where she completed the historic four year Academy studio program in the traditional disciplines of drawing, painting, sculpture and printmaking. She received the highest honor given by the Academy, the Cresson European Traveling Scholarship for study abroad. Upon returning from her travels, she was accepted into the Academy's graduate program and earned an M.F.A. After graduation, she moved back to New Orleans where she developed and taught seven foundations level drawing and painting courses for the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts. She spent a total of five years at the New Orleans Academy, the last two years of which she had the responsibilities of Creative Director. Saskia also writes about contemporary realist painting, and has published a number of articles in research for her book on the same subject. In addition, her background includes training as an apprentice in art conservation of oil paintings and antique frames, and work in Museum Education. She has also taught as a visiting artist by invitation of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, and part time at Loyola University in New Orleans . She moved to the Boston area in 2008 and currently paints full time. Her last Solo Exhibition Metamorphoses, inspired by the writings of Ovid, opened in New Orleans in October 2009, and she is currently preparing for her next solo show in May 2010 in Philadelphia. Her works may be seen in Boston regularly at the Copley Society of Art, where she was recently elected as an associate artist member.
Artist's Statement
Since ancient times, many have seen painting as either an exercise in artifice or in poesis. My interest lies in the combination of the two, while exploring balance in the juxtaposition of Apollonian and Dionysian perspectives. I find greatest inspiration in the gesture and study of the human figure, and believe it to be the ideal vehicle for expression of these dueling principles of human nature. In my work I hope to reveal aspects of process, points of departure for inspiration, and image as integral elements in the practice of painting.
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
- Master of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2003
- Four Year Certificate of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2001
- William Emlen Cresson European Traveling Scholarship, (P.A.F.A.), 2000
- Certificate of Fine Arts, the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 1997
- Semester Abroad, Latvian Academy of Art, Riga, Latvia, 1997
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, June 2003- August 2008. Drawing and Painting Instructor. Original Syllabi for all classes available upon request.
- Beginning Drawing
- Beginning Painting
- Art Appreciation
- Figure Drawing/Intro. to Anatomy
- Beginning Figure Painting
- Teaching Assistant for Color Theory, ( class includes composition, artistic geometry, and the history of art and aesthetics)
- Figure Painting and Sculpture Studio Monitor
- Animal drawing and anatomy
- Loyola University 2008, Painting I, adjunct instructor (Contact-Carol Leake)
- New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, (N.O.C.C.A.), 2008, Figure painting workshop as visiting artist by invitation (contact-Mary Jane Parker)
- Drawing Class for plastic surgery residents of Tulane University and L.S.U. 2006 ( contact-Dr. Michael Moses)
- Figure Drawing Instructor (T.A) for gifted high school students program, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2001, (contact-Al Gury)
- Museum Education Instructor, Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 1999-2000 (contact-Carol Royer)
- Fleisher Memorial School of Art, T.A., Basic Drawing, 2001 (coordinated by Al Gury)
- Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2001, part of group of 15 students selected through jurying process to form anatomical drawing class sketching cadavers in various stages of dissection from direct observation. In conjunction with Hahnemann University Hospital, 2002
- Friends-Select School, Philadelphia, 2002. Lecture series for high school students, “the Human Figure as Vehicle for Expression in the History of Art” In conjunction with group exhibit there. (Contact person, Rose Hagan)
EXHIBITIONS
- The Seven Deadly Sins, Upcoming Solo Exhibition, Artists House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA , May, 2010
- Metamorphoses, Solo Exhibit, Soren Christensen Gallery, New Orleans, LA, October, 2010
- New Artists, 2010, Copley Society of Art, Boston, MA, January, 2010
- Holy invitational exhibit, Brickbottom Gallery, Somerville, MA, December, 2009
- Annual Small Works Invitational , Artist's House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, December, 2009
- Annual Small Works Exhibition, Copley Society of Art, Boston, MA, November, 2009
- Figure Painting Invitational Exhibition, New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, January, 2010
- Sound and Silence, Artist's House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, March, 2010
- CoSo Artists Exhibition, Copley Society of Art: Boston, MA, September, 2009
- ,"Art of the Still Life," Invitational Exhibition, Artist's House Gallery, September, 2009, Philadelphia, PA
- "Historic Interpretation: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Historic Collection," Peabody Historical Society and Museum, Peabody, MA, June-October, 2009
- 146th Annual Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA, April, 2009
- “Mythological Renderings, Interpreting Myths and Legends Through Art” national juried exhibition curated by George Shackelford, curator of modern art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; to be held at Brickbottom Gallery; Somerville, MA; January, 2009
- "Art of the Flower," National Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, PA, March, 2009.
- "People, Places, and Things," Group Exhibition in conjunction with the Salem Film Festival, Cinema Salem, February, 2009, Salem, MA.
- “Drawing Invitational Exhibition,” New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, January, 2009
- “Group Exhibition in Conjunction with New Orleans Biennial,” Soren-Christensen Gallery, January, 2009
- “Poesis” Solo exhibit at Soren-Christenson, September 2007 ( www.sorengallery.com)
- New Orleans Center For Creative Arts, Visiting Artists Exhibition, February, 2008
- “Art in Bloom,” New Orleans Museum of Art, 2008, 2007
- "Surge, New Orleans on High Ground", Brooklyn Lyceum , Brooklyn, New York, 2006
- Soren-Christenson Gallery 2006, group exhibit (New Orleans)
- Isaac Delgado Gallery of Fine Arts, 2006, "Women With Guns" curated invitational
- Tulane University, 2006, "Persephone Rising : work by New Orleans Women Artists"
- New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 2006, " Reflections on Katrina " invitational
- Solo Exhibit, New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 2004
- New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, Annual Faculty Exhibition, 2003-2008
- New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, Annual Miniature Exhibition, 1999-2008
- Artists House Gallery, 2001-2007 (www.artistshouse.com)
- Emerging Artists Exhibit, Art Forms Gallery, 2001 (Philadelphia)
- Emerging Artists Exhibit, Friends-Select School, 2001 (Philadelphia)
- Thesis Exhibition, Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2003
- Cresson Show, Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 2000
- Solo show, Chaos Gallery, 1994
- Altarpiece Invitational, Chaos Gallery, 1993
PUBLICATIONS
- “The Dialectics of Impropriety, Breaking Ground For Southern Women Through Satire” Art Voices Magazine, June, 2008
- “The Art of Observation,” New Work by Phil Sandusky at Cole Pratt Gallery, New Orleans Art Review
- “Interior New Orleans, Through a Glass Softly…” The Genre of the Interior as explored by Sandra Burshell, Art Voices Magazine, May, 2008
- “Seeking Higher Ground,” Questions concerning artistic integrity inspired by Rodrigue’s Blue Dog retrospective at the New Orleans Museum of Art, Art Voices Magazine, April, 2008
- “The Furtive Veil” New work by Kate Samworth at Le Mieux Galleries, Art Voices Magazine, February, 2008
- “Jose Torres Tama,” Explorations in Portraiture of Free men of Color at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Art Voices Magazine, March, 2008
- “Navigating Idioms in a Questionable Renaissance” in New Orleans Art Review, Vol. XXIV (07) No. 3. February/March 2007
- “Schema vs. Form in Imagery” in New Orleans Art Review, Vol. XXIV (07) No. 3. February/March 2007
- “Gallery Walk” in New Orleans Art Review, Vol. XXIV (07) No. 3. February/March 2007
- “Gallery Walk I” in New Orleans Art Review, Vol. XXIV (06 – 07) Nos. 1 – 2. October/November – December/January 2006 – 07 double issue
- “Gallery Walk II” in New Orleans Art Review, Vol. XXIV (06 – 07) Nos. 1 – 2. October/November – December/January 2006 – 07 double issue
- “State of the Art” in Voix du Vieux, Volume I (2006), issue 5
- “State of the Art” in Voix du Vieux, Volume I (2006), issue 4
APRENTICESHIPS IN CONSERVATION OF OIL PAINTINGS AND ANTIQUE FRAMES
(Condition reports, research, cleaning, re-lining, inpainting, guilding, carving, framing)
- Richard White Conservation Studio, 1996-1997
- Dixon and Dixon Fine Art and Antiques, 1993-1996
ADMINISTRATIVE/CURATORIAL
- Curator of Fine Arts, 40 Days and 40 Nights Exhibition, hosted by the Louisiana State Archives and Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, 2006-2008
- Creative Director of the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 2005-2008
- Academy Gallery of the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, Gallery Assistant, 2003- 2005
- Academy Gallery of the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, part time gallery assistant, 1991-2003 (Summers, weekends, and holidays)
- Assistant Curator, Persephone Rising: Work by New Orleans Women Artists, Carol Gallery of Newcomb College (Chief Curator, Carol Leake)
- Claire-Oliver Fine Art, part time gallery assistant, 2000-2001 (while in graduate school, Philadelphia)
- Chuck Moore Gallery, part time gallery assistant, 1999-2000
- New Orleans School of Glassworks, gallery assistant, 1993-1994
- Dixon and Dixon Gallery (of Fine Art and Antiques, in conjunction with my position in conservation-New Orleans) 1993-1996
- Carmen Lewellyn Gallery 1993, part time gallery assistant(New Orleans)
SELECTED AWARDS
- William Emlen Cresson European Traveling Scholarship
- Thomas Eakins Prize for Figure Painting
- Henry C. Pratt Memorial Prize for Printmaking
- Cook and Garber Prize for Excellence in Drawing
- Toppan Prize for Drawing
- Thouron Prize for Composition
- Micheal Pearson Memorial Prize
MISCELLANEOUS
- Somerville Public Library, Volunteer English Language Teacher, 2008, ongoing
- Judge for Terrebonne Parish Fine Arts Guild annual exhibition 2006
- Judge for Poydras Home Art show and auction, November, 2007
- Volunteer for Artdocs annual auction, 60 additions to call for artists, installation
- New Orleans Arts Council, Arts Grants Volunteer, 2007
RESEARCH
- Various branches of American realist art communities, contemporary extensions and variations-ongoing
PRESS
- “Academic Pursuits” By D. Eric Bookhardt , Gambit Weekly September, 2007
- “Art Review” by Natalie Rhinehardt, New Orleans Art Review, Fall, 2007
- “La: The State we’re In” Interview on Louisiana Public Broadcasting by Donna La Fleur, Senior Director. Air date: August 08, 2008
- “Top Ten New Orleans Artists” Art Voices Magazine, June, 2008
- “After the Flood,” by Robin Miller, the Baton Rouge Advocate, August third, 2008
- “40 Days and 40 Nights,” by Karen Kingsley, Louisiana Cultural Vistas, Spring, 2008
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Copley Society of Art, Boston, MA, elected associate artist member
- College Art Association (CAA)