Biography & Statement
Biography
Adrianna Speer is a visual artist and educator based in Ruston, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in Painting and Drawing from Louisiana State University and an MFA in Studio Art from Louisiana Tech University. Her artwork has been showcased globally in esteemed venues such as Site: Brooklyn in Brooklyn, NY, Verum Ultimum Gallery in Portland, OR, Las Lagunas Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, Jag Gallery in Key West, FL, and Diderot Gallery, France. Adrianna has participated in national and international residency programs, including Taleamor Park in Indiana, Burren College of Art in Ireland, Atelier de la Rose in France, and Padula Art Center in Padula, Italy.
Her recent accolades and exhibitions include the Finalist Award from Art Show International, a Merit Award from Tubac Center of the Arts, and participation in "Throughlines: Contemporary Drawing" at the Indianapolis Art Center in IN. Additionally, her work has been featured in Gallery One's "Undomesticated" in WA, Dab Arts Co.'s QUARTERLY Winter 2023 Issue, and Gallerium's 2022 "The Book of Arts: Extinction." In 2024, she received the Denis Diderot and Emerging Artist grants, allowing her to attend the Château d'Orquevaux Artists & Writers Residency in France. Adrianna is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Studio Art at Louisiana Tech University.
Statement
My paintings serve as snapshots of moments and subjects rather than specific scenes or locations, blending personal and collected imagery. My approach to painting is a continuous practice of combining en plein air oil sketches with mixed-media studio renderings that cross-reference personal and imagined narratives. I add narrative to my paintings with references to selfhood, social commentary, and existentialism collected from personal experiences and online sources.
I use traditional and contemporary two-dimensional media to create technically and stylistically diverse paintings. My goal is to capture the complexity of everyday life and invite viewers to explore the intersection between cultural signifiers of the mundane and the sublime.