Rosemary Dykstra

Rosemary Dykstra lives in Matthews, NC. She began exploring and playing with various art materials about 15 years ago as a welcomed diversion from her full-time nursing career a nurse supervisor and as a health care consultant. Once she retired 4 years ago she begin her artistic career in earnest. 

Finding her artistic voice has been a true journey of self-discovery. Her work is abstract and expressionistic because she is not the least bit interested in replicating reality. This artist becomes alive when she is painting, often adding layer upon layer of color just to see what sparks her creativity and brings energy to her paintings. Each work is infused with feelings of joy and belonging in her world. Intuitively using rich colors, often along with symbols, signs, textures and marks fascinates this artist. Using these creative "tools" allows her to communicate with viewers in a global fashion expressing feelings of joy and belonging in the world. 

There is vulnerability and risk in her mark making and use of color. Rosemary starts with the idea of a color and she lets her subconscious and her joy drive the painting from there. After the first color is applied, the next "right thing" comes to mind as the work progresses. Often, another layer and then, yet another layer may be applied to the painting until she has achieved what just works! She is willing to take chances and make mistakes. Perfection is boring.  Dykstra believes art should be all about having fun with the creative process.

Her work has been exhibited in a number of shows both juried and by invitation only. Her work has been purchased by various private art collectors and can be seen at such places as Bank of America in Charlotte, NC and at Arbor Acres in Winston-Salem, NC.