Bio
Linda Berkowitz is a Brooklyn-based painter whose work explores fragility, memory, and the quiet mysteries of everyday life. Working in watercolor, acrylic and oil pastel she creates intimate and symbolic paintings including floating egg worlds and paintings of the garden that create a feeling of calm and well being. In her practice she is always trying to look deeper, into the mystery of the natural world, creating plein air watercolors and sketches in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Prospect Park.
Her work has been exhibited in a solo show in 2022 at Coconana in Prospect Heights, as well as group shows throughout New York City, including the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, Gowanus Open Studios, Established Gallery, Honey Badger Motel, Gowanus Dredgers, Established Gallery, 440 Gallery, Ground Floor Gallery, and La Bodega. In 2017, she completed a painting residency at The Mudhouse in Crete. Her paintings and commissioned portraits are held in private collections across the United States and Canada.
In addition to her studio practice, Linda has worked for over a decade as an art teacher and creative mentor for older adults at Hanac and the Brooklyn Museum. She received the Catalyzing Creativity grant from Lifetime Arts for her project Symbolic Self-Portraits at the HANAC Older Adult Center. Through Hanac she has secured an on-going partnership with the Queens Museum in which her students take classes and exhibit work at the museum, In 2023, through Hanac she established a partnership for he art classes with the Noguchi Museum as well.
Linda studied Illustration at Parsons School of Design and began her creative life as a children’s book author and illustrator (Crown/Knopf), She designed wallpaper, home furnishings, textiles and bath accessories for Gear Holdings, dinnerware and ceramics for Block China, was a designer for Macys Cellar, She lives in Brooklyn, with her cat, Newton.
About my Work
I run my hands over the bark of trees, greeting them and saying a silent prayer for their well being. As I wander through the garden, sunlight through the leaves paint patterns on the ground. Squirrels and birds come out secure in my presence.This is the world I live in, happily creating.
My work is an intimate dialogue with nature. I invite you into the forest, to notice colors and textures, to see things that you didn't notice at first. As colors and brushstrokes draw you in, it puts you in touch with something deep within yourself. We are part of nature.
I never thought of my work as feminist, but I had a conversation with a friend who said it is.
In a non-political way I am unabashedly myself, although I’m not interested in fitting into a category. My work is a journey a spiritual awakening, conscious of the fragility of life, the earth, humanity and nature.
I challenge the viewer to look deeper, feel the brush of the leaves, the wind, the scent of the wet earth beneath their feet
Linda Berkowitz
www.lindaberkowitz.squarespace.com
https://artinres.com/artists/lindaberkowitz
www.instagram.com/linda_berkowitz_art/
Gowanus Open Studios at Strong Rope Brewery, Oct 18-19, 2023
Antoine Dutot Museum, Plein Air 2023
Recycle, juried show at BWAC, Brooklyn Sept 2023
Musings From the Garden, Solo Show at Coconana, Brooklyn, Sept-November 2022
Time And Place, 2 person show at Gowanus Dredgers, Brooklyn NY 2023
Atlantic Ave Artwalk, 2022
Gowanus Open Studios, Gowanus Neighborhood Arts, 540 President Street 2021
Antoine Dutot Museum, Plein Air 2022
Antoine Dutot Museum, Plein Air 2021
We’re Still Here, portraits Arts Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY
2020
Recent Watercolors, Sotto Voce, Atlantic Ave ArtWalk, Brooklyn, NY
Atlantic Ave Art Walk, Select group show 472 Atlantic, Brooklyn NY
There’s No Place Like… Ground Floor Gallery, Virtual show on Artsy
Arts Gowanus virtual show on Artsy
Annual Small Works Show, 4040 Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2019
Rendering Likeness, LaBodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Priority Mail, Mail Art Biennial, Ground Floor Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Small/Mighty, LaBodega Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2018
Ghost in the Machine, prints, Shoestring Studio, Brooklyn, NY
Gowanus Open Studios, Brooklyn Art Space, Brooklyn, NY 2017
Tastemakers 3, Food and Art Exhibit, Courttree Collective, Brooklyn, NY 2015
Weekend at the Old Gem, acrylic painting, Brooklyn, NY 2011
Convergence, Oil Pastels, BWAC, Brooklyn, NY 2011
Wide Open, Watercolors and Drawings, BWAC Brooklyn, NY 2011
Curatation
2018 Symbolic Self Portraits, Lifetime Arts, Catalyzing Creativity, HANAC Harmony JVL Innovative Senior Center, Astoria, NY
Bibliography
https://artinres.com/articles/the-weekly-curation-wfh
The Figure, Jan. 2010
Publishers Weekly, Author Interview Jan 1996
School Library Journal, Children’s Book Review
Kirkus, Children’s Book Review
Publishers Weekly, Children’s Book Review 1996, 1998
Publications
Little Bird and the Moon Sandwich, Crown/Knopf Books for Young Readers 1998
Alfonse Where Are You?, Crown/ Knopf Books for Young Readers, 1996
Alfonse Where Are You? (paper) Dragonfly Books, 1998
Professional Experience
HANAC Harmony JVL Innovative Senior Center Queens, NY 2014- on going
Art Teacher/Coordinator of Art Program
Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn NY 2014-on going
Gallery Studio -Special Needs Teaching Assistant
Painting/Drawing Tutor 2013-on-going
Court Tree Collective, Brooklyn, NY 2013- 2014
Watercolor, Drawing teacher for children and adults
Brooklyn Art Space, Brooklyn 2011-2014
Figure Drawing admin
Children’s School, Brooklyn, NY 2010
Teaching Aritst- Watercolor 1st-5th grade
Ex-Cell Home Fashions, NY, NY 2008
Designer, Bath Accessories and Table Linens
Macy’s Merchandising Group, NY, NY 2005-2008
Designer for Tabletop and Decorative House Wares
Lifetime Brands, Westbury, NY 2004-2005
Designer for Dinnerware and Ceramics
Gear Holdings Inc., New York, NY 1993-2004
Home Furnishings Designer