Artist Adventure Series, No. 1
Erin Hanson's Passion for Adventure Shapes Her Art
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Climbing in Red Rock Canyon is an addictive sport. The steep overhanging cliffs become a monstrous feat that one must, at all odds, overcome. Day after day, hour after hour, you battle the rock holds, sometimes spending a week just to master one tricky maneuver. But when you finally get to the top, the whole world rolling out beneath you, you remember why you deal daily with the scratches, rope burn, tight shoes, heavy packs, and tendonitis. It’s all worth it.
ERIN HANSON has been painting in oils since she was 8 years old. As a young artist, she worked at a mural studio creating 40-foot-tall paintings on canvas, while selling art commissions on the side. After getting a degree in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley, Erin became a rock climber at Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. Inspired by the colorful scenery she was climbing, she decided to paint one painting every week for the rest of her life. She has stuck to that decision ever since, becoming one of the most prolific artists in history. Erin Hanson's style is known as "Open Impressionism" and is now taught in art schools worldwide. With thousands of collectors eagerly anticipating her work and millions of followers online, Hanson has become an iconic, driving force in the rebirth of contemporary impressionism.