About Me

MY BACKGROUND

Growing up in a small lake town St. Joseph, MI heavily influences my artwork. Beaches, lakes, and sunsets make their way into many pieces. Over the past two decades I have migrated to lakes/oceans in the midwest, west coast, and south Florida...while practicing for 15 years as clinical therapist specializing in adolescent depression and anxiety. Most recently my husband and two young daughters have gained footing in northern Virginia, and I have devotied myself to art full-time since 2020. My background as a therapist very much informs my creative process, and ultimately I try to cultivate a sense of joy with every piece.

Portraying water-based subjects while playing with colors, movements, and patterns in big ocean waves and animals is what I am drawn to most frequently. My art is a love letter to and a meditation on everything in and around our vital oceans. However, the cows in Virginia have rubbed off on me, and much of my work now falls into the category of "Surf & Turf."  Putting cows and other animals on surfboards is irresistably fun and smile inducing.

While an undergrad at Northwestern University I took as many art classes as possible, and continued taking classes at University of San Francisco with professor and artist Glenn Hirsch.  I started studying pastels with award-winning pastelists Lori Goll and Ann Wallace in Leesburg, VA in 2019 and continue to study with them today.

I exhibit regularly in juried shows throughout the East Coast and Midwest, and have work up in private homes, galleries and restaurants throughout the US.  Muz & Rose in downtown Leesburg has hosted me as their artist in residence every summer since 2022 and I partipate in the Ft. Lauderdale and Key West Art Fairs, most recently in Feb 2025.

MEDIUM & INSPIRATION

Seascapes, big ocean waves, and wildlife are my biggest inspirations and I enjoy getting to know them intimately through the process of painting.  I love doing commissions-from family portraits to scenic views and pets of all kinds.

The main medium I use is pastel. My pastel paintings are done on sanded paper, mounted on backing board, and framed with museum quality glass. Pastel is the most permanent of all media and dates back to the 16th century (Edward Degas and Mary Cassatt were considered the most prolific pastelist of their time). It is a pure powdered pigment that is rolled into chalk-like "sticks" and since pastel paintings reflect light like a prism, no other medium has the same power of color, vibrancy, or stability.  Today pastel paintings have the stature of oil and watercolor as a major fine art medium. 

COMMISSIONS

I am available to discuss commissions. If you like a painting that has been sold already, I am happy to paint something similar. 

SHOWS/ART FESTIVALS

Key West Art and Craft Festival Key West, FL Feb 2025

Key West Art Center and Gallery Key West, FL since Jan 2025

Studios of Key West Key West, FL since Jan 2024

Arts of Great Falls Great Falls, VA honorable mention for "Onwards" March 2024

Artists in Middleburg, Middleburg, VA honorable mention for "Big Sky" April 2024

Western Loudoun Art & Studio Tour Loudoun County, VA June 2023

Sotheby's International Realty-Hunt Country solo installation Leesburg, VA Nov/Dec 2023

Art at the Mill Millwood, VA Spring 2021, 2023, 2024

Seaside Art Gallery International Miniature Show Nags Head, NC since 2021

Middleburg Art Fair Middleburg, VA Nov 2022

Howard Allen Events' Las Olas Art Festival  Ft. Lauderdale, FL March 2022

Artists in Middleburg Middleburg, VA honorable mention for "Yellow Umbrellas" Jan 2022 

Art at the Mill  Millwood, VA  Winter 2021

Artists in Middleburg  Middleburg, VA since 2020

Great Falls School of Art Great Falls, VA honorable mention for "Pretty Picker"   2020, 2021

Yellow Barn Studio  Glen Echo, Maryland 2019, 2020 

Franklin Park Arts Center Purceville, VA 2020, 2024

GALLERIES/RETAIL

Key West Art and Culture Center Key West, FL since Jan 2025

Studios of Key West Key West, FL ongoing since Jan 2025

Global Local Leesburg, VA ongoing since 2023

Chloe's of Middleburg Featured Artist Middleburg, VA February 2023

Muz & Rose Artist in Residence July/August Leesburg, VA since 2022

Coconuts Restaurant art installation Ft Lauderdale, FL 2021/2022

Artists in Middleburg, ongoing since 2021

ARS Gallery and Culture Center  Benton Harbor, MI (solo installation) Aug/Sept 2021

CONTACT

I am available for commissions, classes and shows. Feel free to contact me by email at alibwiese@gmail.com or phone# 954-591-0475.

Instagram: @alibwiese