Aimee Hofmann (b. 1976, New York)

Bio:

Aimee Hofmann is a prolific abstract artist who has been painting for nearly 16 years. A native of New York, she was raised in the suburbs of Queens, where her early affinity for the arts manifested through piano playing, dance, and portrait sketching. Intrigued by the intricacies of human expression and finding solace in artistic creation, she viewed drawing as a cathartic escape from the pressures of adolescence.

Upon relocating to Manhattan at the age of 18, Hofmann pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at the Stern School of Business, New York University.  After embarking on a professional path in marketing post-graduation, she found herself seeking a transformative experience.  She married and ventured to Switzerland in 2000, where the majestic Alpine landscapes and serene natural surroundings ignited her creative spirit and fostered a newfound appreciation for the present moment and life's simple pleasures.

Returning to New York City after her overseas sojourn, Hofmann resolved to eschew the corporate world in pursuit of a more fulfilling vocation. However, her trajectory took an unforeseen turn in 2006 when she was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, a neurological condition resulting in complete paralysis from the T10 level of the spine. During her two-month hospitalization, she found solace and purpose in a therapeutic art program, discovering a profound sense of peace and catharsis in painting from her hospital bed. Art became her anchor amidst the tumult of loss, grief, and self-discovery, empowering her to navigate the challenges of her new reality and rediscover joy in the creative process.

In the years following her diagnosis, Hofmann channeled her resilience and artistic vision into a series of evocative collections, ranging from abstract landscapes and florals to dynamic swirl patterns that evolved into increasingly abstract forms. In 2019, having established roots as a permanent resident of Westchester County, she embarked on a more disciplined art practice, leveraging online platforms to market and sell her paintings and engaging in commissioned work for local residential clients. Driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge and artistic growth, she pursued further education in color theory, technique, and composition through workshops led by esteemed female artists she admired.

Hofmann's artistic prowess has garnered acclaim and recognition, with her works acquired for prominent fine art collections including those of Montefiore's Burke Rehabilitation, HSBC Bank USA, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase & Co., PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ipsen, Intuit, Brown Advisory, State Street Bank and Vigil Neuroscience. She has exhibited at art venues such as the Carriage Barn Arts Center, Jamestown Arts Center, Blue Door Arts Center, and Rye Arts Center, and participated in world wide art fairs such as The Other Art Fair.

Beyond her artistic pursuits, Hofmann is a devoted wife and mother of two, a dedicated two-time hand-cyclist marathoner, an avid swimmer, and an occasional speaker on panels, i.e., Harvard Business School and DisabilityIn. Committed to leveraging her platform for positive change, she has raised significant funds for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation in support of paralysis research. As a passionate advocate for disability rights and inclusion, she endeavors to raise awareness and promote equitable representation through her art, embodying a vision of empowerment and resilience that transcends physical limitations.

 

  

 Artist Statement: 

"Following the inundation of emotions accompanying the sudden onset of a disability, I embarked on a profound reassessment of temporal concepts: the past, the present, and the future. Particularly resonant was the nostalgia for the 1980s, an era emblematic of my youth, characterized by vibrant hues, pulsating energy, melodious tunes, and distinctive fashion. Yet, it is the recollection of fleeting moments of childhood freedom, as well as physical freedom, that has imprinted itself upon my psyche, imbuing my artistic endeavors with a playful and exuberant vitality.

My latest work features paint in diverse textures, liberally poured and splattered as a metaphorical release from my lifelong struggle with perfectionism. Through experimentation with the interplay of varying paint consistencies, I have embraced the unpredictability of the present moment, fostering an appreciation for the beauty  in imperfections, disorder, and fragmentation. Each layer unveils fragments of its antecedents, mirroring the complex tapestry of our own life narratives.

I've discovered a newfound courage born from the realization that apprehensions and fear about the uncertain future are ultimately futile. This epiphany has engendered a greater willingness to relinquish control over outcomes, allowing intuition to guide the creative process. However, deliberate compositional decisions punctuate the artistic evolution, striving for a delicate equilibrium between structure and spontaneity.

Central to my artistic evolution are the recurring motifs of swirling patterns, a manifestation of both personal and creative maturation. Originating as meticulously structured forms, these swirls have metamorphosed into fluid, abstract compositions, reflective of my relinquishing of control. Symbolizing life's cyclical nature, they lead the viewer on a visual odyssey, reflecting the fluctuations of life's journey.

Incorporating an eclectic array of techniques and unconventional tools—ranging from wide house-paint brushes to the wheels of my wheelchair—my work juxtaposes contrasts within a singular canvas. This juxtaposition challenges the dichotomies of perfectionism versus imperfection, control versus release, intentionality versus spontaneity—echoing the myriad struggles encountered in the human experience.

Water, with its fluidity and transformative power, emerges as a recurrent motif, representing both physical liberation and emotional tranquility amidst the constraints of paralysis. The inclusion of track marks and smeared paints, inadvertently etched by the wheelchair's passage, serves as a testament to the interplay between my physical condition and artistic expression.

Inclusivity permeates my oeuvre, manifesting in bold neon hues, expansive brushstrokes, and distinctive track marks—a reflection of my own identity as an Asian woman with a disability striving for visibility in a society marked by marginalization. Through bold artistic choices, I assert my presence, emphasizing the intrinsic value of uniqueness and the indivisible interconnectedness of all individuals within society."- A.H.

C.V.: Click on live links to listen/watch/read. 

DEGREES

Bachelor of Science: Stern School of Business, New York University, 1998

Associates: College of Art and Science, New York University, 1996

CONTINUED ART EDUCATION               

Better Than Art School with Amira Rahim, 2020

Carriage Barn Arts Center, The Art of Letting Go with Linda Colletta, 2021 

NYC Crit Club, Visiting Critic Program with Jared Linge, 2022

NYC Crit Club, Independent Study Program with Catherine Haggarty, 2022

EXHIBITIONS              

Rye Arts Center: Rye’s Above, June 2021

Blue Door Arts Center: My Super Power (juried), June 2021

Carriage Barn Arts Center: Art in Windows (juried), June 2021

Carriage Barn Arts Center: Annual Members Show, September 2021

Carriage Barn Arts Center: Deck the Walls, November 2021                                  

Rye Arts Center: Annual Members Show, December 2021   

Jamestown Arts Center: Reassessment and Wonder (juried), March 2022

         * Statement on the mural, "Journey of Life" 🔗: JAC

Larchmont Art on the Avenues: April 2022

Serendipity Labs: Solo Exhibition, June 2022

REPRESENTATION:

ArtLifting

CLIENT PRIVATE COLLECTIONS:

Amazon; Arlington, VA

HSBC Holdings plc; New York, NY

Burke Rehabilitation, Montefiore; White Plains, NY

Vigil Neuro; Watertown, MA  

Ipsen; Boston, Massachusetts 

JPMorgan Chase & Co.; New York, NY

PricewaterhouseCoopers International; Pittsburgh, PA

State Street Corporation; Boston, MA

Hesnor Engineering Associates; Albany NY

Blue Rock Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 

LECTURES/PANELS:

Harvard Business School, 🔗 "Disability is Diversity" with ArtLifting and Google, 2022

🔗 Bucket List Careers Podcast with former anchor, Christa Lauri, 2022

Burke Rehabilitation Center, Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month, 2022

William E. Cottle Elementary School, Building Bridges Program 2018,'19, '20, '22

PUBLICATIONS/MEDIA FEATURES:

Westchester Magazine: 🔗 "The Art of Healing," December Issue 2020 

Westchester Home Magazine: 🔗 "The State of the Artists," Spring Issue 2022

Channel 12 News: 🔗 "Rye Artist Defies All Odds to Take on her Passion" 2023

FAIRS/POP-UP EVENTS:

The Other Art Fair; Brooklyn, NY, November 2022

David Burke's 1776 Restaurant Art + Dining Experience; NJ, July 2022

914 Pop Ups/Levitate Creative Services; Eastchester, NY, January 2022

Global Empowerment Mission/BStrong Benefit; White Plains, NY, April 2022  

Bartlett Arboretum Earth Day Festival; Stamford, CT, April 2022

Rye Arts Festival; Rye, NY, May 2023