Renee Press is an artist currently living in a small cabin on the shores of the Puget Sound in Washington State. Originally from New York, she graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Sculpture. For a while, she explored the virtues of "being able to
build cool stuff" by working as a set designer, carpenter, and
puppeteer in NYC. Then one day, realized she wanted to travel,
specifically to the southernmost region in the world, Patagonia, to see
the magnificent elephant seals.
She went south with a
backpack and a camera, and about midway through her adventure found
herself in the small town of Bariloche, Argentina. A place quite
mystical and popular with artists, Renee immediately felt right at
home. She started speaking Spanish more fluidly, and began to draw.
Within days, her series of "totems" began to emerge. It was as though
all of the surrounding elements, scenery, and culture; past, present,
and future were being channeled through her. Three "totems" to life
were born, and suddenly her mind began to open towards the infinite.
This was a major transformative experience through drawing that
continues to influence her work greatly today.
About a year later, while participating in an intensive meditation retreat in the mountains of Brazil,
another major turning point occurred. Ten days of breathing and silence
will bring many things to light. The pieces "one day in my parent's
backyard" and "blue backyard" were both created very soon after this
retreat, upon her return to New York. For weeks certain images of
reality dissolved, while others became very clear.
This
process of spiritual exploration and presence of mind continues to be
the driving force behind her work. Although the media and imagery may
change, the sentiment remains the same. Renee is currently working on a
series of watercolors, looking at the individuality of stones.
