Artist statement: My own life experiences have always played a significant role in what influences the works that I create, because first and foremost the work must be a catharsis. 

Wherever I go, whatever I do, I will always paint; I will always create.

This is my way of expressing, telling stories, and healing. Weaving in the storiesand energies of people I meet and drawing from the collective family, friends, and loved ones in my life, is also an important component of my practice.

“In Search of Ground” is about the concept of trying to keep one’s feet planted when everything in the world feels topsy-turvy. I’ve had a vision in my mind for quite some time now, of feeling like a kite that never seems to make its way back down: getting beaten and tattered; banging against a building or a tree; faded, stitched up, and patched; being tugged at by my strings; but never quite making it down to a safe and peaceful home. Sorting through the emotions of the intense and sudden shifts in stability that come with feeling so ungrounded, has been a constant and exhausting exercise.

And thus, “In Search of Ground” has emerged as a body of work that has given Rene solace through pain, strength through grief, and peace through turmoil. Rene says that each and every piece has been an absolute gift, in that it has allowed her a method...a time...a space, to process and let go.

In addition to Rene's paintings, this show will feature her India ink drawings and steel wire sculptures, with wood bases that have a story all their own, by renowned Chicago craftsman Ari Smejkal and Rene.