Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Orgen.
Hi Erica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I had the privilege of growing up surrounded by art and artists. I am a third-generation artist, allowing me to have ongoing exposure to all facets of the art world. From that early introduction, I understood that creating and studying art was a passion I had to pursue.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been both. As a child, I was given permission to be myself and supported in my strengths. I was encouraged to make creative choices, fostering the confidence to take risks, all of which are essential for an artist.
All artists experience rejection. Facing criticism and disappointment in my teenage years taught me resilience and strengthened my resolve. Those early experiences made me comfortable with critique and helped me understand that rejection is part of the artistic journey. I learned that motivation must come from within.
A high school art teacher with a distinct style did not support my exploration and growth. When I was eighteen, I applied to be included in a major art collection. What I remember most is not the rejection, but the fearlessness it took to submit my work.
I learned that in creativity, as in life, growth exists on the other side of risk.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a representational artist primarily depicting female figures merging into abstract space. They are both present and dissolving. Stylistically, my choices rely on spontaneity – line, color, texture. Layers of paint create depth while unexpected color and brushstrokes blur and redefine the boundaries of their bodies.
My work has been featured in group shows throughout the DMV with a solo exhibit at Gallery Neptune in Bethesda, Maryland.
Creativity has been a lifelong passion of mine, not only in practice but as process. I have always been fascinated by the magic of creating. I co-presented in a lecture, The Nurture and Nature of Creativity, with my artist mother and sister, a neuroscientist at the NIH. Together we explored the interplay between artistic experience and scientific insight, the creative process and the creative brain.
The concept of fostering creativity motivated me to create The Art Studio Downstairs in 2013, teaching children’s art classes. The Art Studio provides an environment that supports curiosity, confidence, and self-expression; qualities that are valuable to all future endeavors. I now offer a range of adult classes as well. It’s inspiring to nurture students in the process of inventing their own visual language and experience the joy of their unique expression.
What were you like growing up?
I drew before I spoke. I was extremely quiet and deeply shy, and in many ways, art became an early language for me. As a child, I spent countless hours in a reserved spot in my mother’s studio, drawing and watching the creative process around me. I sketched what I saw and imagined: a blackbird, a mustached man from memory, a beach house surrounded by balloons. My grandfather delighted in teaching me the technical foundations of drawing, while my mother nurtured my creativity and self-expression.
As a teenager, I painted my friends, invented a fashion magazine, sculpted a series of tools, along with other creative activities. I never stopped making art, and that commitment led me to pursue formal studies at The George Washington University in Fine Art & Art History.
All these early experiences were enriched by memorable visits to artists’ studios, galleries, and museums. I feel fortunate that my childhood exposure was so vast and inspiring. My path to becoming a professional artist and teacher was a quiet unfolding… inevitable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ericaorgen.com/ and https://www.artstudiodownstairs.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erica.orgen/ and https://www.instagram.com/artstudiodownstairs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artistericaorgen and https://www.facebook.com/ericasstudiodownstairs
