J 0 A N KRESEK
Trompe l'oeil! Representational Painter

Ater taking time off from design and art clients for several years to focus on being with her two young daughters, Joan Kresek found her voice as a painter.

She graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design (BFA in Illustration) and then worked for 15 years as a problem solving painter, exploring a variety of styles, techniques and medias to interpret the ideas of art directors and interior designers. A move across the country and starting a family put artistic expression on a back burner. In 2002, when the opportunity to paint again presented itself in the manner of demonstrations for students, the subject matter came easily: realistic metaphoric still-lifes. Some are symbolic portraits, some environmental statements, some influenced by the culture of China, the birth country of her daughters. Most of the paintings incorporate architectural elements, following the trompe l'oeil style approach. The one to one scale, streak-free paint application, closed form and over lapping elements are important considerations. Joan paints with acrylic paint, using layers of opaque paint and glazes to achieve spatial depth on canvas.

Joan's work has been represented in Florida, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Colorado, where she lives with her husband, Larry and daughters. She was the Gold Medal recipient of the Denver Art Student's League "Paint Our Town 04" competition. In 2005, Joan was the July Liquitex Artist of the Month (International Acrylic Paint Company).

In her spare time, away from the studio painting and her family, Joan teaches and shares her love of painting with students at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design and at the Denver Art Museum.