About
I am a painter living in the suburbs north of Philadelphia by way of the magical countryside of Kempton, Pennsylvania. I make work trying to please myself, but I hope that it eventually pleases you. I mostly draw and paint, dabble with printmaking, and sometimes sculpt. My subjects are my immediate surroundings, including my partner, dog, and objects within my home. I am deeply moved by light; how it cuts and sweeps across floors, forms, and fields. My work has one aim, and that is to convey the intangible feeling I experience when I am fully present with my subjects. I hope that by stating what is true to me, you will find something true to you.
If you are interested in my process and seeing my works in progress please visit my Instagram account.
For questions about available artworks or other inquiries please email me at abigailsynnestvedtart@gmail.com.
Education
2023 MFA in Studio Art. Northern Vermont University. Johnson, VT.
2015 BFA and Certificate of Painting. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Philadelphia, PA.
2011 Fine Art Studies, The Barnstone Studios, Coplay, PA.
Grants and Residencies
2023 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT.
2022 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT.
2018 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Montreal, Canada.
2014 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Montreal, Canada.
Solo Exhibition
2023 Devotions - MFA Thesis Exhibition, Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Johnson, VT
Group Exhibitions
2023 Tiny Fireworks, Minėmå Gallery, Johnson, VT
2023 Spring Show, Midnight Gallery. Schnecksville, PA.
2022 Cadeaux, Eclipse Center for Creative Community. Landsdale, PA.
PAFA Fellowship Alumni Show, juried by Audrey Flack. Anne Bryan Gallery, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA.
NVU Johnson - MFA Invitational, Julian Scott Memorial Gallery, Northern Vermont University.
Johnshon, VT.
OHO Projects Guston Response Takeover, Boston Museum of the Fine Arts, Boston, MA.
2019 In Plain Sight, Two Person Exhibition with Lauren Kindle, Lauren Kindle Studio, Easton, PA.
2017 9th Annual Juried Competition, Group Exhibition, Prince Street Gallery, NY, NY, Juried by Stuart Shils
Wet Paint Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA. Juried by Harry
Cooper, Senior Curator and Head of Modern Art National Gallery of Art, Washington
2016 Fame 2016, Group Exhibition, PAFA Alumni Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, Juried by Erica F. Battle,
Curator of Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Out of the Academy, Group Exhibition, Waverly Heights Gallery, Gladwyne, PA.
2015 114 Annual Student Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Samuel Mv Hamilton Building PAFA,
Philadelphia, PA
Emerging Artists Exhibition from PAFA, Group Exhibition, Oxford Art Alliance, Oxford, PA.
2014 Now Look Here, Group Exhibition, Gallery 128 PAFA, Juried by Ron Wyffels and Kevin Richards,
Philadelphia, PA.
Convergence, Group Exhibition, Gallery 128 PAFA, Juried by Neysa Grassi and Bill Scott,
Philadelphia, PA
2014 113 Annual Student Exhibition, Group Exhibition, Samuel Mv Hamilton Building PAFA,
Philadelphia, PA.
Public Collections
Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Boston, MA.
Awards
2015 The Faculty Award, PAFA
The Arthur De Costa Painting Prize, PAFA
The Simone C. Titone Prize, PAFA
The Benjamin West Prize Special Notice, PAFA
The Frances D. Bergman Memorial Prize Special Notice, PAFA
The Charles Toppan Prizes Non Curriculum, PAFA
The Eleanor S. Gray Prize for Still Life, PAFA
The James O. Dumont Prize, PAFA
2014 The Franklin C. Watkins Memorial Grants, PAFA
The Benjamin West Prize Special Notice, PAFA
The Earl T. Donelson Figure Painting Award First Prize, PAFA
The Arthur De Costa Painting Prize, PAFA
The Sylvia G. Wexler Memorial Award, PAFA
The Edna Pennypacker Stauffer Memorial Prize, PAFA
2013 The James P. Bonelli, Jr. Memorial Prize, PAFA
2012 The Ramborger Prize, PAFA
The James P. Bonelli, Jr. Memorial Prize, PAFA
Scholarships
2014 The Lucille Sorgenti Scholarship, PAFA
2014 The Silvia S. and Miron M Walley Memorial Scholarship, PAFA
2014 The Ruth and Ben Wolf Scholarship in Honor of Peter Paone, PAFA
2011 The Caldwell Scholarship Honorable Mention, PAFA
2010 Academy Merit Scholarship, PAFA
Features and Publications
2019 Blog: www.laurenkindle.com/blog, Choosing Life as an Artist: a Guest Blog Post by
Abigail Synnestvedt