Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1973, Alexandra Ackerman grew up drawing, cutting, and making things from a very young age. She first learned to paint with watercolors at the Waldorf School at age eight, and has continued her exploration until the present, maintaining a childlike freedom in her work. Alexandra earned a degree in painting and printmaking at Massachusetts College of Art, where she explored a variety of mediums, often incorporating fabric and found objects into her work. She was part of the Minneapolis art and music community for nearly a decade before moving to northern Wisconsin with her husband, where they had two children. Alexandra’s interest lies in the ethereal aspects of nature; her paintings contain many references to nature; leaves, roots, sun, rain- but are often abstract and playful. Through strong use of emotionally charged color and pattern she creates internal landscapes and strange worlds.

“I have nurtured a personal dialogue with Nature- an art form of its own- that has become a lifelong spiritual connection. My work is inspired not only by what see, but what I feel, hear, and touch in the natural environments of the places I’ve lived. I have found beauty and depth on the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, wisdom in the soil of organic farms in New England, joy in the explosive flower gardens in Minnesota, and hope in the shoots of garlic coming up in my own back yard.”

Alexandra lives and works in Iowa City. She has painted commissions for individual collectors and public spaces and taught watercolor workshops. She also enjoys collaborating on art and music with her husband and kids. She has cards, originals, and prints for sale at Prairie Lights Bookstore in downtown Iowa City.

AlexandraAckerman.etsy.com,