| Marlene Lenker is a diverse, prolific artist, an accomplished painter who also specializes in multi-media collage and constructions. Regardless of the medium, Lenker builds the surface of her work gradually, saying, "I am a devotee of nature and all its magnificence. Layering permits me to express the subtle nuances and depth of the earth's strata as well as the energy of the heavens." Lenker's watercolor and acrylic paintings project an atmospheric, stormy ambiance. Rich colors and flowing brushstrokes combine to form cloudy skies and reedy marshes. Bordering on abstract, her striking compositions are clearly referenced in landscape. However, by utilizing natural and man-made objects including mosaic tile, feathers, strands of gold fabric, metallic foil, rice papers and stained glass to create intimate environments, Lenker combines natural elements with symbolic structure. She is a lecturer and artist-in-residence at the National Academy in New York City, as well as a member of the National Association of Women Artists, Artist Equity, the North Coast Collage Society and the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media. The artist's contribution has been recognized by several notable publications including "Who's Who of American Artists," "Who's Who in International Art," "New York Art Review" and "American Artists - Leading Contemporaries." Lenker's work has been included in group and one-person shows since 1969 at galleries and museums nationwide. Corporate collections which have selected Lenker's work include prestigious firms as American Airlines, Dean Witter Reynolds, Hoffman LaRoche, Kidder Peabody, Merrill-Lynch, Pepsico, Swissaire/North America and Warner Lambert. |
