It’s a letting go of preconceptions in order to understand what lies beyond what we know, or think we know, that allows something unexpected to emerge.
Working in the visual arts is essentially a journey of discovery - a search for what can invoke a feeling simply by looking at something. Finding balance, getting something to look right, to “feel” right, requires surrender and a willingness to allow the work to lead and to inform.
This can be a challenging, and humbling practice. It begins as a conversation with the work itself and leads, hopefully, to a connection with those who engage with it.
The process and its result hold the potential to intrigue, to draw us closer and to make visible what is sacred within the mundane. Ultimately, art can reclaim within us a sense of awe - connecting us to something beyond ourselves and to something that dwells deep within, simultaneously.
For me, it doesn’t get better than that.
about
Working in graphic design and interactive media disciplines for over 3 decades, Maureen Kringen has applied a love of painting and a reverance for fine art to a design approach that is textural and illustrative, with a modern sensibility.
When the digital medium was only beginning to become capable of displaying rich visual environments, a combination of timing and a personal interest in unusual mediums landed Maureen in the computer gaming industry. Challenged with bringing a higher standard of design and beauty to the interactive platform, she explored ways to expand beyond current computer graphic limitations.
As Art Director at SEGA’s Southern California division, she trained and led a growing team of artists in the development of gaming environments and characters. Her team worked to push the boundaries of art and animation within a digital medium in it’s infancy. As Group Director, she had the opportunity to research and develop projects exploring the application of artificial intelligence and neural networks to broaden both the conceptual content of the interactive experience as well as the look and feel. With the advent of the public internet, her experience with digital media led seamlessly into website development as well as a return to graphic design for print. Working on client projects including brand identity, website design + development, illustration, print media and packaging she has developed and created for her clients a visual voice that resonates and creates meaningful connections to their unique communities.
Her work has been featured in Print Magazine, The School of the Arts Virginia Commonwealth University design textbook, The Society of Illustrators, New York and honored with “best branding" - Wired Magazine and "best game graphics" - Disney Magazine.
Maureen currently devotes her time to her first love: painting. Rediscovering texture, form and color through the painted medium, she is inspired by textures and design found in nature and intrigued by the mystery, complexity and strength of human emotion.
