Fine Art
Hello Friends,
Happy Tuesday! My artist talk at Ragazza is set for Wednesday, March 22. Yay. Hope you can join us.
Seating will be limited to 30, so please RSVP to reserve your spot. Details in the Eventbrite link below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/artist-talk-with-teresa-dirks-at-ragazza-tickets-571784170847
If you have any further questions, please let me know. Happy to help.
All my best,
Teresa
Teresa Dirks
Contemporary Artist
Happy FriYaY Friends!
My new work from the new series: Rainbow In Between is up at Ragazza until April. Drop by. Tell them I sent you. See more images and my Artist Statement below. Thanks for checking it out and for your support. Let me know and I will meet you there!
Sending Love,
Teresa
Artist Statement
This work is a reflection of what has happened to us as a whole, as a collective, over the past six years. It’s about the good, the bad and the beautiful in between. Inspired from a passage in a book by author Monica Bloom, where she wrote about the black and the white and that gray area in between. She communicated how it is so hard to process and unpack that gray middle area. She relayed that, it is our perspective that needs to adjust. This realization brought me to this series, “The Rainbow in Between.” Why not change our attitude to see the gray as a rainbow? This view correlates the anxiety that we have all felt dealing with current affairs, inequities, and social injustices since 2016. It has been a lot. With that said, this series represents the quest and the search for the abundant magic that happens in this world and the celebration of the human spirit and love that surrounds us every day. See and be the shine and shimmer.
Thanks for caring and making the world better,
Teresa Dirks
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P.S. Go Chiefs!
Click here to go to the link at VoyageKC Interview
Today we’d like to introduce you to Teresa Dirks.
Hi Teresa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up in the rural quasi-south, near the Mississippi River, around seamstresses, quilters, gardeners, and farmers, I learned to love nature, nurture, growing, cultivation and making. This made me. Creative.
My name is Teresa Dirks and I am a KC based artist, poet, and painter… I am a former environmental educator and art educator, originally from rural Southeast Missouri about 2 hours north of Memphis, TN. I lived my first three decades as a small, town gal. I have always felt deeply and known my desire was to do something with my hands, but I didn’t come to paint until I was in my thirties. That was three decades ago which is unbelievable. Yes, that puts me in my sixties, but I am just getting started. Don’t let these natural highlights fool you… Betty White and Judy Chicago are on to something… wink, wink.
More background, Dave and I lived in a geodesic dome we built. We raised a beautiful family and had lots of magical moments on that farm. The farm delta and horizon helped to define my work along with other things. Artistically, I began in photography and started with hand-painted, black and white, fiber photos. That process was luscious. After a time, this led me to paint. It was sudden, one day I said, “I am supposed to paint. This is what I was put here to do.” One moment in particular, on a trip to the STL Museum, I saw my first Morris Louis. I fell in love with art. I can’t really put to words what I felt. The sensation was life-altering. It was a monumental moment. Deeply monumental.
As an adult and mother, I went back to school and studied English and Art. I have a BA in Creative Writing, an emphasis in Poetry, and a Minor in Art. Later, I went back for my Master’s to teach Art.
In 2010, we had the opportunity to move close to KC and my first granddaughter. We jumped on it. We were in Warrensburg and this sparked opportunities: The prestigious MO50 Art Show and from that, I won a 2011 Missouri Art Council Award. In 2013, we moved to KC, and in 2016, I moved into my first “out of the home” studio. My studio was in the historical Kansas City Livestock Exchange Building and was such a great location overlooking the city skyline: You could see the Kaw and Missouri rivers, the train tracks, the bluffs, and the skyline along with being studio neighbors to some of the best Kansas City-based artists. I treasure my time there.
During that time, I was active in the Livestock Exchange Building Open Studios and was Co-facilitator for several years. This experience allowed me to interact with so many amazing creatives. My years at the Livestock and in the Kansas City Arts Community were extremely beneficial and solidified my devotion to the KC community and the arts. My work and life have grown because of the vibrant and giving artist community here in KC. I am so grateful! Kansas City is such a wonderful place to create.
Unfortunately in July 2020 due to the pandemic, I chose to move back to my home studio in Weatherby Lake.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Personally: The first 25 years of my life had a couple of big bumps, but that made me stronger, no doubt. Something that I have learned is that to be happy, you have to think happy. You are responsible for that. No one else. I believe people who are happy and healthy focus on lifelong learning, trying new experiences, expanding their knowledge, and above all being flexible and pivoting. Pivoting is vital to staying vital. And I believe in walking. Walking is the best and cheapest therapy ever.
Professionally: Selling art and the business side of the arts is hard, (insert deep and long whine for effect)… With that said, finding the correct market for your artwork is challenging. Staying on top of technology is challenging. Running a small business is challenging. Having proper and affordable studio space is challenging. And I won’t get into photographing artwork… it all takes skill, diligence, energy, time, and money… I do not like to complain, because so many folks are hurting these days. “Remember, I say to myself, ‘These are all first world problems. I am fortunate to be doing what I love.’ I am grateful that I have this opportunity.
Creatively: As I said, I moved back to my home studio during the pandemic. I find it hard to talk about this, but my perspective has changed immensely because of the suffering, injustices, and political unrest. Currently, I am searching for something more meaningful. I am still painting, but I want to pivot, as I said before, into something that is more environmentally sustainable and beneficial to humanity. I am gathering my intentions and hoping to come together with a new body of work in the next year or two.
An artist friend once told me, if someone asks how long it took to become an artist or to paint a specific artwork, the answer is, “It has taken me all my life.” Essentially and succinctly, that is the best answer because all of my collective experiences have led me to where I am now. The good times. The bad times. The fun times. The sad times. My life experiences, my education, and my years of expertise make my artwork what it is today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Creatively: Recently, we presented the show (at the Frank Lloyd Wright Church near the Country Club Plaza,) “Conscious Love,” which was an artist collaboration with two phenomenal poets, Poet T.L. Sanders and Kansas Poet Laureate Huascar Medina. The performance and evening were breathtaking. Tremendously proud of what we created and hope to expand on this art/poetry concept in the near future.
My artwork is contemporary, linear, and primarily all mixed media painting. My concept is that no matter who you are, or where you live, you have a horizon, a skyline, or a sunset, and that is a connection to humanity that each individual has experienced. This is an environmental and emotional string or connection that ties us together. My work is an abstraction of that concept. We are all interwoven in humanity. Interconnected. I feel as we merge into this new realm of technology and political unrest it is vital to make those connections and to reflect. It is a desire for unity and a sense of community. My desire is to us remind us to be in tune with what it is to be human.
As I said I fell in love with the Morris Louis’, Alpha Tau, and the color-field movement. It profoundly directed my work. So why am I drawn to Louis’ work? As I mentioned, I am also a poet. I studied Walden and transcendentalism. I love the brevity and contemplation of modern poetry. The succinctness! This is what my art is about. It is at its simple core. I love the ability to break something down to its essence, whether that is a painting of a moment or a poem of a single experience. It is the essence. It is humanity. And I want to share that essence of unity with my audience. When I create art, my aim is to reconstruct my experiences from life as a woman, and from the landscape and environment, and share that connection with you.
Professionally: A few years back, Southeast Missouri State University selected me as the first female beneficiary for the 2016 Alumni Merit Award for the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts. I mentioned this before. I was the recipient of the 2011 Missouri Arts Council Poster Award. My work was featured in all the 2012 MAC publications. Additionally, my artwork is held by private and corporate entities. Also, I served on the Art in Public Places Committee in Warrensburg, Missouri; organized Paint with Your Girls, a successful fundraiser for breast cancer research; and served on the advisory boards of Southeast Missouri State University-Malden and the Bootheel Youth Museum, where I was also a volunteer programmer.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
1. We have so many great arts organizations here in KC. I recommend getting involved and joining one or two. Guildit and Kansas City Artist Coalition are just a couple that comes to mind.
2. Learn all you can from others.
3. Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask another artist or creative for advice. That is the one thing I love about the Kansas City Arts community. The creative community here is always willing to share knowledge. We have such genuine kindness in our arts community. Truly, I am so grateful to my friends and mentors who have taken the time to share with me. Don’t forget, we are all together in this world. Why not make it a better place and share it with others? Kindness is such a gift to the world.
4. Promote fellow artists and share the love… whether that is buying art or simply engaging on social media. It is appreciated and helps us all.
Thanks for having me here.
Contact Info:
Email: teresadirks@gmail.com
Website: teresadirks.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresadirksstudio/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/teresadirksstudio
Hello Art Friends,
What a surreal time it has been. For the time being, I have moved my studio back home. Officially at the end of July, I moved out of the lovely historic Livestock Exchange Building. Bittersweet. So fortunate to have had those years developing friendships and my art. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of that wonderful world for 4 amazing years.
For the time being, I will be home thinking and working…
Sending my love,
Teresa
LEB Studio Happy Memory…
Hello!
Thought I would reintroduce myself in honor of Women’s History Month. Yes, I am Teresa Dirks and I am an artist, poet, and painter . . .
Formerly, I was environmental educator and art educator, originally from rural SE Missouri 2 hours north of Memphis TN. Small town gal.
Had some serious challenges early in life, tough but they gave me my strength. BTW I didn’t have anyone around who was an artist. So art as a profession was a foreign concept to me. Somedays it still is honestly. :)
Luckily, I did have music along the way. Piano, percussion and guitar. And again, luckily I grew up around seamstresses, quilters, gardeners, and farmers, I learned to love nature, nurture, growing and making. This made me creative. Later as an adult, I found art and painting. Again lucky.
One moment in particular as an adult, on a trip to the STL Museum, I saw my first Morris Louis. I fell in love with art. I can’t really put to words what I felt. The sensation was life altering. Monumental moment.
Brief Background:
Dave and I lived in a geodesic dome we built. We raised a beautiful family . . . for 30 plus years on a farm only 30 minutes from the Mississippi River. The delta and horizon helped to define my work along with other things. The horizon is something we all share. This joins us together. More about that later.
As an adult and mother, I went back to school and studied English and Art. I have a BA in Creative Writing emphasis in Poetry and a Minor in Art. Later I went back for my Masters to teach Art.
In 2010, we had the opportunity to move close to KC and my first granddaughter. We jumped on it. We were in Warrensburg and this sparked opportunities. The prestigious MO50 and the MAC award. Things started to get easier. Five years ago, we moved to KC and two years ago I moved into my first “out of the home” studio. My work and life has grown because of the vibrant and giving artist community here in KC. I am so grateful! KC changed my experience entirely. Thank you.
Now about my art and that process . . .
No matter who you are or where you live, you have a horizon, a sunset, a connection to humanity that each individual has experienced. This is a string or connection that ties us together. My work is an abstraction of that concept and connection. We are all interwoven in humanity. Interconnected. I feel as we merge into this new realm of technology and political unrest it is vital to make those connections. It is a desire for unity and sense of community.
As I said I fell in love with the Morris Louis’, Alpha Tau, and the colorfield movement. It profoundly directed my work. So why am I drawn to Louis’ work? As I mentioned, I am also a poet. I studied Walden and transcendentalism. I love the brevity and contemplation of modern poetry. The succinctness! This is what my art is about. It is at its simple core. I love the ability to break something down to its essence, whether that is a painting of a moment or a poem of a single experience. It is the essence! It is humanity. And I want to share that essence of unity with my audience.
Thanks for listening!
Xoxox,
Teresa
Delighted to be represented online by UGallery. View my portfolio and acquire my art work here: https://www.ugallery.com/Artist/Teresa-Dirks
You won Best of Houzz 2016!
Exciting news from Houzz!
Hi Teresa Dirks' Art and congratulations,
We're writing to let you know that you've been voted by the Houzz community as a winner of our Best of Houzz 2016 award! You can read the full press release here.
Your work won in the Design category, as your portfolio includes some of the most popular images on Houzz in 2015. We have already placed a "Best of Houzz 2016" winner badge on your Houzz profile page; visit your profile page (http://www.houzz.com/pro/teresadirksart) to see it.