Name and Year: Lindsay Rapp, 2014 Hometown: Clearwater, Florida Major: Fine Arts
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Street: How did you first get into painting? Lindsey Rapp: The director of the pre–school I was attending was so impressed with my artistic abilities that she entered me in an art competition, sponsored by the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County commemorating its 50th anniversary. My drawing won and was placed on 10,000 calendars. I was awarded a savings bond and was even interviewed on television! So, I guess my art career was launched at the ripe age of four.
Street: Describe your style. What inspires you? LR: I work with occasional mixed media exploration, sculpture or photography, but my principle medium is oil painting. I hope to evoke conversation and promote different interpretations of my artwork from viewers, based on their own personal experiences. My work focuses on expressing core human emotions toward issues encountered in everyday life. My style is constantly evolving based on situational experiences and the people around me.
The medium of paint and how its textures naturally form fascinate me as well. I love working with the image of human form and using these figures in expressionistic contexts while still letting the paint’s natural tendencies guide me.
Inspirations of mine include the expression and movement of Bernini’s figures, James Whistler’s nocturnes, the brushstrokes of Singer Sargent and the ideas of Clement Greenberg.
Street: How has your work changed or developed since being at Penn? LR: Teachers, as well as the people I have met at Penn, have inspired me more than I could have ever imagined. My mind has been opened to a more worldly range of concepts. Learning about artists of all forms and their perspectives has changed my view on history and the world of today. Being exposed to all of these viewpoints has not only offered me understanding, but freedom in my own work to explore.
Street: What things at Penn inspire you creatively? What are your favorite spots here? LR: Locust Walk holds so many points of interest for me, whether it’s the unique people along that walk or a deserted time when the calming peaceful beauty in and of itself is revealed.
Where do you see your work taking you in the future? LR: I am entering my final year of my dual degree program with UPenn at PAFA where I will be working on creating a new body of work in my studio provided in Center City for this final school year. I am planning on getting my work into various shows and galleries. My dream since childhood was to become a freelance studio artist showing artwork in major galleries worldwide, traveling around the globe for new inspiration and experiences.
