Ann Orlowski

Ann Orlowski is a painter based in Madison, WI. Her hard edge depictions of architectural designs explore themes of modernity and industrialization. Orlowski’s clever use of line and color plays with our vision, manipulating our perspective and spatial awareness. She holds a BFA from the University of Northern Iowa, where she focused on printmaking. Since leaving the University setting in 2004, she has developed her painting practice and has shown her work throughout the region. She has focused her career on both art making and curation. Orlowski is the Assistant Art Director at Abel Contemporary Gallery, she curates shows in the Madison area, and has juried art shows and fairs throughout the region.

Using architectural components I position my compositions at the intersection of represented space and perceived space. This convergence of perceptions is achieved by applying visual indicators of the constructed world through an astute use of perspective. Using abstracted architectural elements allows me to manipulate the perception of three dimensional space within a two dimensional plane, thus revealing how the visual world can be organized in new ways. The compositions are deliberate, concise, and organized. Objects are rendered through intersections of flat planes and straight lines to reveal a simplified vision of complex structures. Line is used to play with concepts of perspective and to indicate points of transition and connection within a composition. The results are hard edged paintings, with simple forms and subtle shifts in color.

WI