About Abigail Seely
Born and raised in central Massachusetts, Abigail Seely is a figurative oil painter. Her projects incorporate strong brushstrokes and varied mark-making to build up the surface and composition. Seely has participated in exhibitions at the Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, the Desnoyers Overlook Gallery, and the Carol Grillo Art Gallery at The Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts.
Seely worked as an Expressive Therapies intern at Care Dimensions Hospice Care. She assisted with therapeutic sessions and facilitated pediatric palliative care visits. She recently interned with Girls Inc. of the Seacoast as a youth advocator. She led Arts and STEM based activities with the female identifying pediatric participants. Seely is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Therapy at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. She also maintains an active studio practice and is developing a series of paintings centering the oneness of femininity and earth.
Artist Statement
'Let's Sit Awhile' 2023
I am an oil painter, currently studying Art Therapy at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. I work primarily with oil paint to create representational figure portraits. These projects depict women in nature to explore the correlation between the female body and the cosmos. Through sisterhood, my artwork emphasizes the oneness of feminine features and the earth.
My creative process involves settling into my studio and practicing mindfulness in order to find the right headspace to work. For me, painting productively is only possible with a clear head, when I am free from the worry of everyday life. As an art therapy student, finding this space is essential to my practice. I begin each work by taking reference photos, which inform my painting. I paint gesturally and loosely. This allows strong brushstrokes and varied mark-making to build up the composition. My hand is evident in each project and demonstrates that everything was done with intention.
My current body of work is made up of a series of oil paintings featuring female bodies within landscapes. They focus on the connection between women, the earth, and the intimate bonds between them. The figures in these paintings draw inspiration from significant mythological protagonists such as Persephone, Demeter, and Mother Earth. The figures hold the air of the ethereal or the mystical, presented as goddesses themselves. The relationship between the women themselves is demonstrated compositionally, by having my own childhood best friend alongside me in my reference photography. This personal aspect combined with my chosen themes allows me to channel my passion for female empowerment and the ethereal aesthetic into a completed series of finished works.
Resume
ABIGAIL SEELY
Born in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States
Lives and works in Beverly, MA
Instagram: @rosecolored.stateofmind
Email: AseelyStudio@gmail.com
EDUCATION
2024- Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Therapy
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2021- A Series of Pride, Desnoyers Overlook Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2021- Words in my Mouth, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2021- Home of the Houldens, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2022- Gemini B, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2022- Projection, Carol Grillo Art Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2022- Alternate American Currency, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2022- My Sister, My Mother, Myself, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2022- Little Halo, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2023- Sweet Aurora, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
2023- Soul Sister, Bilodeau Lounge Student Gallery, Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts, Endicott College, Beverly MA
