Kristen DeFontes is primarily a printmaker; originally from the North Shore of Long Island, New York. Kristen takes much of her inspiration for her woodcuts from the harbors of Long Island Sound. In addition to working in various areas of the print medium, she also creates drawings, collages and sculpture. The work that she creates outside of printmaking often reflects her inner consciousness and abstract thought. It is part of Kristen’s goal as an artist to produce work that engages and communicates with the viewer in an intimate, curious and direct way.

De Fontes has exhibited her work in solo and group shows throughout New York State. Kristen’s work is also in several private collections.

Kristen holds an M.A. in Art Education from Brooklyn College and a B.F.A. in Visual Art from Purchase College. She teaches middle school and high school art, and works in her home studio in Albany County New York.

Artist Statement

I have been taking my work in a new direction by working with mostly drawing mixed media and collage. In 2003, I took a graduate drawing class with Elizabeth Murray (1940-2007) at Brooklyn College. Since then I have been developing a portfolio of work that deals with automatic and spontaneous line as well as collage. Very little of the work is traditionally planned. In the beginning this was a very different way of working for me, since I was trained as a printmaker, where spontaneity is difficult to achieve.

I produce consecutive pieces and often reflect on the work when it is completed. When I am working, I run off a vague theme or idea, I ask myself questions and try to answer them with the drawings. The ideas may be likened to simply exploring a particular color scheme, shape, or an aesthetic quality that I am trying to reach. These forms are rarely referenced observationally, but come to the page through my well of visually inspired memory.

The aesthetic quality of the work is as important if not more important to me as the subject matter. I want the viewer to be visually engaged in the work, yet I realize that the implied meanings of the subject matter can tug at the viewer making it difficult to read without curiosity. However, I feel the curiosity of the viewer is what gives the work life.

For me this work is always finding its way and developing. Making the work is a learning process. The more experimental I let myself be, the more successful I believe the work becomes.

-Kristen DeFontes

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I was deeply saddened when I heard the news of Elizabeth Murray's passing on August 12, 2007 from lung cancer.


She was a tremendous inspiration to me and my work. I will always remember the short time that I knew her and the encouragement she gave me. To learn more about the life of Elizabeth Murray click here.