Artist Statement:
Alanna is an artist and educator living in Midcoast Maine. She creates abstract work about trauma, human relationships, and power structures; and how the effects of these are felt in our bodies. She uses abstract ribbon forms that are interrupted, or intruded upon, by external objects to explore bodily feelings like hurt, tenderness, and protection. Her work also explores how we adjust to, or conceal the wounds we receive from these forces. How do we make space in our bodies for these wounds, and our strong emotions? Her process of drawing with colored pencils on wood is disciplined and meditative. It invites the viewer to similarly slow down, and notice.
Bio:
Alanna grew up on Cape Cod (Wampanoag Land), and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2010, where she earned a B.A. in Middle East Studies. During this time she gained some formal art training, as well as education in art history, history, and language. After graduating, she continued her art practice while training in yoga and meditation. Her work is a culmination of this combination of formal education in the arts and humanities, training in yoga and meditation, and self-taught art skills. She moved to Midcoast Maine in 2018 and currently resides in Union, Maine (Narantsouk, Abenaki, Wabenaki Land). After working in illustration, including working with the Maine Department of Education on illustrating their "Harvest of the Month" campaign, she recommitted to her fine art studio practice. Now she works as an artist, creating abstract works, and an educator in various in-school and extracurricular settings.
CV
Education:
2010 University of Massachusetts Amherst, Bachelor of Arts in Middle East Studies.
Exhibitions:
2023 LATENT DREAMING, group exhibition, See Food Room Gallery and AucArt, Hong Kong
2023 CMCA Biennial, juried group exhibition, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockland, ME
2022 SENSE STREAM Purslane Art, online solo exhibition to benefit charity, Purslane Art, London UK. https://www.purslane.co.uk/sense-stream-alanna-hernandez
2022 INSIDE DRAFTSWOMEN, group exhibition curated by Christine Brey, Feinkunst Kruger, Hamburg, Germany.
2022 ARTPM, group exhibition, Buoy Gallery, Kittery, ME.
2022 DRAWING WITHIN, solo exhibition, Interloc Projects, Rockland, ME
2021 LAUNDRY DAY 3, community exhibition and auction, New Systems Exhibitions, Portland, ME.
2021 IN COLOR, juried exhibition, Cape Cod Cultural Center, South Yarmouth MA
2019 Archipelago, The Island Institute Store, Rockland ME
2018 PLAY: ART INSPIRED BY CHILDRENS’ ART, juried exhibition, The Harlow Gallery,
Hallowell, ME
2018 HEALING NATURE: HUMAN VISION, ART, & THE ENVIRONMENT, juried exhibtion,
Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis, MA
Press:
2022 June, L'Officiel Mexico, "Trauma and human relationships under the artistic magnifying glass of Alanna Hernandez", https://www.lofficielmexico.com/arte-y-cultura/alanna-hernandez-arte-contemporaneo
2022 May, ArtMaze Magazine Issue #27, London, UK
2022 January Booooooom Artist Spotlight, https://www.booooooom.com/2022/02/01/artist-spotlight-alanna-hernandez/
2021 August, ArtMaze Magazine Issue #23, Curated by Julie Tuyet Curtiss, London, UK
2017 December, Birdy Magazine, Denver, CO
2017 August, Birdy Magazine, Denver, CO
2017 July, Birdy Magazine, Denver, CO
Illustration Clients:
2019-2020 Maine Department of Education, Harvest of the Month Project,
https://www.maine.gov/doe/harvestofthemonth/resources
Teaching:
Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Guest Teaching Artist. Art camps and workshops for kids and adults. ArtCamp: People and Portraits 6/11/22-6/14/22, and ArtLab 3/5/22.
Leaps of Imagination, Assistant Teaching Artist. In-school art programs for elementary students. 2018-2019, and 2021-2022.