“My works are reflections of my experience in dream-like, psychological fairy tales that capture in frozen time various stages of my life. Through symbolic metaphor, I struggle, confront, and search the mysterious journey of existence. My goal is to create art that, in uncertain times, portrays the beauty that comes from the inner strength, hope, and enduring spirit that is human.”
Chicago-based portrait artist Lou Ann Burkhardt explores psychological fairy tales in her mixed media paintings that combine photography, industrial materials and traditional mediums in initiative formats. The drawings on this site are reflections of the moment from her private journals. They portray the beauty of the human spirit.
Ms. Burkhardt holds a BS in Education, with Minors in Art and Music from North Texas State University. She also earned an Associate Degree in Fine Art and a Masters Degree in Fine Art from the American Academy of Art. Ms. Burkhardt has studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, and participated in workshops in France, Grand Marais, Minnesota and at Ox Bow in Saugatuk, Michigan. Her studies included independent research on the Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Print and Drawing Room and the Chicago artist Ivan Albright in the Ryerson Library at the Art Institute of Chicago.
“Art is eternal, but life is short.”