Lorraine Rossini

About the Artist

The text in one of my paintings says, “Dream, dream, won’t leave.”   This fragment captures the motivation and passion of my artwork.  My dreams— past and present, painful and hopeful— find release and expression through paint and canvas.

Many of my abstract paintings are varying forms of self portrait— an exploration of identity, emotions and the subconscious. My inspiration comes from an internal dialogue, intuitive self-image and dream imagery. 

I combine figurative elements with scattered shapes, text and a sense of movement.  Painted words literally capture the thoughts on my mind, sometimes written over and around the image of my face. I typically begin my work by capturing my ideas via ink illustrations on paper, sometime interspersed with related journal entries, and then further develop the images through acrylic paintings.

The undercurrent of my emotions runs through all my art — in my portrait-based pieces and even those that are more abstract.  I think I’m often capturing my internal anxieties, and my sometimes-chaotic emotional and mental energy, and putting it all into visual form.  I want to convey the complex and sometimes fractured experience of emotions and identity, and an irrepressible energy.

I have been painting for fourteen years and have an informal art education that includes coursework at San Francisco Art Institute.  I began exhibiting in 2005 and have participated in exhibits at several locations along the peninsula and coast (Brisbane, Redwood City, San Mateo and Half Moon Bay).  I am a member of the Peninsula Women’s Caucus for Art and ARTshare of San Mateo County, and a volunteer docent at the Peninsula Museum of Art. 

For more information, please see my resume.