Fiona Ackerman

Fiona Ackerman explores a world in which figurative painting coexists with abstraction. Gestural mark making, abstract form and often delicate figuration are sculpted to create intimate portraits of friends, family and a cast of invented personalities. Working with acrylic and oil paints on canvas and paper, Ackerman borrows from literary sources, music and art history, as well as from her own life and environment to build subtle narratives. While deeply interested in formal composition, she paints from a keen interest in story telling and strong engagement with the world around her.

About her work, she writes:

“Working on a painting over weeks, sometimes months (often more than one at a time), I am engaged by a paradox: free-fall invention must be met by a careful, sometimes ruthless reorganization of shapes, forms, patterns. It is not uncommon for an entire painting to disappear, losing all traces of its original intention. But out of this continuous re-sculpting and over-painting unexpected results emerge. Figures begin to take shape, the painting begins to tell its own story.

The finished work may not resemble the original at all, yet is imbued with the original’s history and could not have existed without it. I am sustained throughout by the surprise of seeing one element come into play as others are suppressed. I would like to think that something of this drama of composition survives to engage the viewer, just as it has motivated me during the creative process.”

Fiona was named one of Canada’s outstanding emerging artists in Cart Blanche 2:  Painting, published by the Magenta Corporation in November 2008.

In 2009 Fiona was awarded an Honourable Mention for the Kingston Prize, Canada’s National Portrait Competition.