Marlene Struss

My intention is to extol the mystery and majesty of nature through a collaborative process with paint itself: Without preconception, I contribute the wood panel, mix the colors, and introduce unusual materials and forces for the paint to interact with. The paint cooperates by becoming a distinct organic pattern or landscape formation that is always a surprise and something I could not have imagined. In subsequent layers I may wipe away still wet parts revealing the process. In this way the painting builds its own story, as in the nature of seasons or geologic stratification. The resulting images are "real" in the truest sense but not necessarily familiar. Keeping with this idea of partnering with nature, lately I have been experimenting with coloring-in a template of plant shadows as a final layer that serves to invite a viewer to look deeper into the painting. The artwork titles reflect my feelings or impressions of the paintings when they are complete, but different memories, sensual experiences, or emotions may be felt by other viewers. I describe these "painted manifestations" as biomorphic abstract/semi-abstract expressionism with an Asian influence. They are exciting and humbling to produce and hopefully beautiful and interesting for you.

Marlene Struss grew up in Northern California. Her bachelor of fine arts degree is from the University of Santa Barbara in 1973. There she worked with such esteemed instructors as Irma Cavat, Howard Warshaw, and Larry Rivers. Over time Struss has created bodies of work from representational to abstract with media including printmaking, pastel, collage, digital, and today acrylic paintings on panel. Her highly individualistic style of painting can best be described as biomorphic abstract expressionism with an Asian influence.Struss has exhibited broadly online and throughout the United States and as far as St. Petersburg, Russia, and Seoul, Korea. She has been involved in the arts community in Santa Barbara, California, and in Los Angeles. Among the awards she has received are the Individual Artist Award in Assemblage from the Arts Fund of Santa Barbara in 2004 and the Best in Show Award at the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art in its Tri-County Juried Exhibition in 2019. In 2020 she was honored by her Notre Dame High School Alumnae Association as a "Woman to Watch." In 2025 she had her first two-person museum exhibit for the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara.Presently she is represented by 10 West Gallery and is a member of Western Edge, Studio Artists and Abstract Art Collective in Santa Barbara. She is also represented in the film and movie industry by Marina Kieser in North Hollywood. Struss's work can be seen in many film, television productions.