ARTIST STATEMENT

Teresa Rancourt

I am an abstract mixed media artist with my life in nature as my muse.  I am heavily influenced by the Pacific Northwest its bodies of water, mountains, topography, skies, and the extreme differences in its ecosystems ranging from rainforests to deserts.   My experiences in these elements are the basis of my work, my inner voice.  While I do not start a painting with a preplanned design, I paint from very deep feelings about a place in time, an experience I have had in nature within my being.  My work is multi layered and I continue working on a piece until the painting begins to speak to me and then and only then, the painting and I are collectively within a rhythm of creation together.  I love making bold marks, making my paintings almost sculptural, using both brushes and found tools to mark make.  I work on canvas, wood, and high-quality paper.  I typically work in series with each piece in the series influencing the other.  I love color, its energy whether it is serene or vibrantly active and continue to explore what impact color can bring to my work.  I find great joy in the completion of a work that encourages the viewer to enter their own world of wonder and appreciation and to witness the light in their eyes when this does happen.

My body of work is my imagery of my life in the Pacific Northwest and its breathtaking natural beauty.  An honoring if you will.  The ocean, lakes, rivers, creeks, mountains, forests, plateaus, wetlands, canyons, and grasslands in this area are a big influence on me and my current work.  It is such a large part of my daily surroundings as well as a huge connection to my being/soul.  I spend the bulk of my time on our ranch in Sandpoint, Idaho.  We live on acreage on the Pack River with views of the Cabinets and Selkirk Mountains.  I see no neighbors and am blessed to have night skies unadulterated with any artificial light.   Just the stars, moon, planets and occasional meteors and satellites.  I have horses (my gurus) and I high mountain trail ride, hike above the tree line and snowshoe frequently in the winter.  I simply love the outdoors here regardless of time of year or time of day. I grew up and spent most of my life in Seattle and have a home there on the Salish Sound.  I have a long history of living and boating on the Puget Sound and have had extraordinary experiences boating in the Pacific Ocean.  These experiences on saltwater frequently show in my work.   Coming to Sandpoint in 2004 was my first time living on a body of fresh water and becoming acquainted with the dynamics of lakes, rivers and creeks during runoff, flood, and summer heat.  It was also my first time living in the mountains and away from the coast.  I start my day with the beauty of this incredible area and am continuously thankful that, through a series of serendipitous events, I have been very fortunate to have the day-to-day experiences of nature I have in the Pacific Northwest.

I am currently represented by The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene Idaho, Gallery B612 in Seattle Washington and POAC Gallery in Sandpoint, Idaho. My website is teresarancourtart.com.   I am on Instagram teresarancourtartist and on Facebook. And I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate having guests visit me in my studio too.