KRISTI WIPPERFURTH
Kristi Wipperfurth is an artist best known for her emotionally charged, impressionistic "odes" to the poets, novelists, artists, and philosophers she deeply admires.
Originally turning to lines of poetry in books for solace, Kristi earned her MFA in Creative Writing. While hustling to support her family, she found comfort in painting, considering it an act of rebellion against the disciplined nature of an intuitive and desperate poet in an MFA program.
Flash forward to the present, Kristi continues to paint, learning and growing with each failure, while expressing the palpable struggle of the human condition in every work.
What sets her apart is her use of unexpected materials in her impressionistic pieces. Wooden crates, drawers, and wallpaper become unique substitutes for traditional canvases, elevating her art to a new level.
Her loose, painterly style is filled with vibrant colors and rich textures, effectively illustrating the profound impact that great leaders in world literature, history, and art have on the human experience.
"As I paint or illustrate, I attempt to honor the figures I admire in the worlds of literature, art, history, and philosophy. My hope is that the audience will be drawn toward the inspiration of the subjects themselves. That’s why I often title my paintings 'Ode to...'. Paul Valéry’s quote, 'A poem is never finished, only abandoned,' is my mantra and guiding statement." -Kristi Wipperfurth
Queen Liliʻuokalani (born September 2, 1838, Honolulu, Hawaii [U.S.]—died November 11, 1917, Honolulu) was the first and only reigning Hawaiian queen and the last Hawaiian sovereign to govern the islands, which were annexed by the United States in 1898. She worked to restore power to the Hawaiian monarchy and her people. In 1892, along with the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawai'i she passed an act to protect public lands from privatization
Sylvia Plath (born October 27, 1932, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.—died February 11, 1963, London, England) was an American poet and novelist whose best-known works, such as the poems “Daddy” and “Lady Lazarus” and the novel The Bell Jar, starkly express a sense of alienation and self-destruction closely tied to her personal experiences and, by extension, the situation of women in mid-20th-century America. The searing use of language and shocking honesty in her works helped make her a major figure in both the confessional poetry movement and the literature of the women’s movement beginning in the 1960s. Plath continues to be an influence on many 21st-century writers.
Patsy Cline (born September 8, 1932, Winchester, Virginia, U.S.—died March 5, 1963, near Camden, Tennessee) was an American country music singer whose talent and wide-ranging appeal made her one of the classic performers of the genre, bridging the gap between country music and more mainstream audiences.
Annie Oakley (born Aug. 13, 1860, Darke county, Ohio, U.S.—died Nov. 3, 1926, Greenville, Ohio) is a famous markswoman known for her sharpshooting. During her lifetime she traveled with her husband across the country and abroad showing off her skills with a rifle. She became a star in a male-dominated sport, and legendary throughout the world.
