Thanks for visiting my gallery of Abstract Expressionist paintings. Many of these paintings are interpretations of various pieces of music, like Bach, Grieg, Lauridsen, Pårt and Buxtehude. Others are experimentations. I enjoy variety and trying different ways to apply paint and express my emotions. I’m not going to lie, I am addicted to vibrant color, as you will see. I do take commissions and enjoy collaborating with clients, especially interpreting music with color. Enjoy!
In 2019, I collaborated with Choral Director Matthew Olson and his Bach Roots Festival performance, interpreting Bach’s Mass in B Minor. A moving visual journey exploring each painting played on a screen behind the choir as they sang. Needless to say, one would need to paint about 20 paintings to do this piece of music justice. Here are four.
KYRIE ELEISON
An interpretation of Bach’s Mass in B Minor
(commissioned for Bach Roots Festival 2019)
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle 36″ x 24″ SOLD
Listen to the music here.
ET CRUCIFIXUS
An interpretation of Bach’s Mass in B Minor
(commissioned for Bach Roots Festival 2019)
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle 36″ x 24″ $1260.00
Listen to the music here.
Et Crucifixus
An interpretation of Bach’s Mass in B Minor.
$1,260.00
SANCTUS
An interpretation of Bach’s Mass in B Minor
(commissioned for Bach Roots Festival 2019)
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle 36″ x 24″ SOLD
Listen to the music here.
AGNUS DEI
An interpretation of Bach’s Mass in B Minor
(commissioned for Bach Roots Festival 2019)
Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle 36″ x 24″ SOLD
Listen to the music here.
“The Magnificat” is an interpretation of Arvo Pärt’s “Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen” inspired by the South Dakota Chorale’s performance in their album Sacred Songs of Life & Love. The South Dakota Chorale is directed by Dr. Brian Schmidt, originally from New Ulm, MN, where he and Robyn met as members of Christ the King Lutheran Church. He directed the Duke University Chapel Choir, where this exhibit premiered in the Advent Season of 2016. Dr. Schmidt is now directing at Baylor University. Sand Anderson and Schmidt have collaborated before when she interpreted seven cantatas for Duke University Vesper Choir’s Membra Jesu Nostri (Buxtehude) concert in 2012 (see below). They enjoyed a collaboration of choral music with contemporary abstract art, blending and juxtaposing the arts and genres.
MAGNIFICAT: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper $830 Listen to the music here.
Magnificat
An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen.
$830.00
O WISDOM: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper SOLD Listen to the music here.
O ADONAI: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper SOLD. Listen to the music here.
O ROOT OF JESSE: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper SOLD Listen to the music here.
O KEY OF DAVID: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper $830. Listen to the music here.
O Key of David
An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen.
$830.00
O MORNING STAR: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper SOLD Listen to the music here.
O CORNERSTONE: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper $830. Listen to the music here.
O Cornerstone
An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen.
$830.00
O EMMANUEL: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Nunc Dimittis. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper. Listen to the music here.
O Emmanuel
An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Magnificat & Sieben Antiphonen.
$830.00
NUNC DIMITTIS: An interpretation of Arvo Pårt’s Nunc Dimittis. Original 22″ x 30″ Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper SOLD Listen to the music here.
DEATH OF ÅSE: An interpretation from Peer Gynt, music by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 30″ x 2″ Gessobord $1050. Listen to the music here.
Death of Åse from Peer Gynt
An interpretation of Edvard Grieg’s piece from Peer Gynt.
$1,050.00
SOLVEIG’S SONG: An interpretation from Peer Gynt, music by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 30″ x 2″ Gessobord $1050. Listen to the music here.
Solveig’s Song
An interpretation from Edvard Grieg’s piece from Peer Gynt.
$1,050.00
In 2018, I received an arts grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to travel to Norway to study Edvard Grieg, his music, his home and environment and the beauty of Norway that inspired his creations. My heritage is Norwegian and this trip helped me to understand what colored his musical choices. I found a kindred soul of sorts. Grieg was a romantic. He suffered physical pain from illness. During my experience of rheumatoid arthritis, I found that brilliant color lifted my spirit. In his music I hear notes, chords and rhythms that do the same. He paints songs of melancholy, but also songs that lift our spirits from that sadness. I hope my interpretations in paint do the same for you.
MORNING MOOD: An interpretation from Peer Gynt, music by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 18″ x 2″ Gessobord $755. Listen to the music here.
Morning Mood
An interpretation of Edvard Grieg’s piece from Peer Gynt.
$755.00
PRAELUDIAM: An interpretation from The Holberg Suite, by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 18″ x 2″ Gessobord NFS. Listen to the music here.
SARABANDE: An interpretation from Peer Gynt, music by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 18″ x 2″ Gessobord SOLD. Listen to the music here.
GAVOTTE: An interpretation from The Holberg Suite, by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 18″ x 2″ Gessobord $755. Listen to the music here.
Gavotte
An interpretation from Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite.
$755.00
AIR: An interpretation from The Holberg Suite, music by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 18″ x 2″ Gessobord SOLD. Listen to the music here.
GAVOTTE: An interpretation from The Holberg Suite, by Edvard Grieg. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 18″ x 2″ Gessobord SOLD. Listen to the music here.
PIANO CONCERTO IN A MINOR: An interpretation of Edvard Grieg’s work. Original Acrylic on 24″ x 30″ Gessobord with 2″ birch cradle. SOLD Listen to the music here.
O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM: an interpretation of Morton Lauridsen’s piece, painted in 2014. 72″ x 48″ Original Acrylic on Canvas, Collection Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN. Listen to the music here. Experience the beauty of this song as you view my painting. O Magnum Mysterium, O Great Mystery, makes me cry. Every time.
ROAD TO EMMAUS: This painting was a commission from the ELCA for their first Rostered Ministers Gathering in 2017 and is now part of the ELCA’s art collection. When given the theme for this gathering, I hunted for a piece of music interpreting that text. I found “Abendlied” by Josef Rheinberger. Beautiful. It helped me to see the color and movement. Sometimes when I am stuck on a painting, not knowing where to go, I put music on. It always helps me see the color. Listen to the music here.
LIVING WATER: From The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
DIVINE SPARK: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit came out of the experience of living through a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, the things I learned on my journey of suffering physical, mental and spiritual pain. It premiered at The Nina Bliese Gallery, Minneapolis, MN in 2012.
BE STILL & KNOW: From The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
REFINER’S FIRE: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
CEASELESS HOPE: From The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
AND IT WAS GOOD: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
THE GOSPEL FREED: From the To Reform: Artists Respond to the Reformation Exhibit, Augustana Univ., Sioux Falls. Original Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle, 24 x 36″ SOLD
THE ILLUSION OF CONTROL: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ $830
The Illusion of Control
From The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit, born out of my diagnosis of RA when I learned that I can’t control everything.
$830.00
SANCTUARY: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
REVELATION: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ $830
REVELATION
From The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Sometimes things are revealed in our suffering.
$830.00
PERFECTLY HIDDEN, PERFECTLY REVEALED: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ SOLD
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS: Original Acrylic on Gessobord 18 x 24″ SOLD
THE SACRED: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ $830
THE SACRED
From The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit.
$830.00
DEEPLY ROOTED: Original Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle, 36 x 24″ SOLD
PERCEPTION: from The Suffering of Becoming Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Fabriano Artistico WC Paper, 22 x 30″ $830
PERCEPTION
From the Suffering of Becoming Exhibit.
$830.00
THE HUMAN SPIRIT: from the Wreckage & Beauty Exhibit. Original Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle, 18 x 24″ SOLD
OASIS: Original Acrylic on Gessobord, 24 x 18″ SOLD
ECHOES FROM THE PAST: Original Acrylic on Canvas Board 18″ x 24″ $675
Echoes from the Past
Acrylic on Canvas Board 18 x 24″
$675.00
THE BEAUTY WITHIN: Original Acrylic and Silk on Gessobord, 24 x 18″ SOLD
CONNECTED: Original Acrylic on Canvas 16 X 20″ SOLD
FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, THESE THREE: Original Acrylic on Gessobord, 24 x 36″ SOLD
GOD SPEAKS BEAUTY INTO THE VOID: Original Acrylic on Gessobord with 2″ Birch Cradle SOLD
MEMBRA JESU NOSTRI: My first choral music/visual art collaboration was with Dr. Brian Schmidt and the Duke University Vespers Choir in Durham, NC, where the collection now resides. After receiving a call from Brian in late 2011, I created seven paintings interpreting Buxtehude’s seven cantatas. At first the baroque music didn’t touch me. After immersing myself in the seven cantatas that changed and I grew to love what Buxtehude created in 1680. It was an amazing experience to interpret music from that era with contemporary abstract expressionism. The colors and movement came to me as I listened deeply to the music. I combined abstraction with representational areas framed as the seven parts of the body of Christ. A link to the music is under each painting. Listen as you view each piece.
AD PEDES (To The Feet): Listen to the music here.
AD GENUA (To The Knees): Listen to the music here.
AD MANUS (To The Hands): Listen to the music here.
AD LATUS (To The Sides): Listen to the music here.
AD PECTUS (To The Breast): Listen to the music here.
AD COR (To The Heart): Listen to the music here.
AD FACIEM (To The Face): Listen to the music here.
Robyn Sand Anderson Art 