ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES - SHAWNA HARTNETT

Shawna Hartnett was born in 1962 in Kittery, Maine. She attended the Gorham Campus of the University of Maine in Portland, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. In addition, she studied sculpture under Tom Hays during a two-year apprenticeship.

Most of Hartnett's current work is on paper and canvas, and often has a low relief quality. This flirting with the third dimension along with the sometimes metallic and gem-encrusted look of her pieces, clearly bears the mark of her training as a sculptor. Collage and other materials are built up into a texture that is both rhythmic and engaging. Her imagery ranges from realistic representation to abstract expressionism.