Alta Koer began to seriously study art while attending high school, which was when she chose to become an artist. “I was lucky enough to go to an expeditionary learning school that opened up opportunities to experiment with many different activities. My arts education began there and led me to develop a portfolio for the magnet arts high school in Washington, DC: Duke Ellington School of the Arts. It was there I truly realized that a career in the arts was attainable,” she says.
At Duke Ellington, Alta realized that an art career was attainable. She was introduced to many media but none with such flexibility and forgiveness as painting, she says. “I’m attracted to the many elements I can include in a painting, the vibrant colors I can achieve, the interpretation of reality I can provide, and the ability to change it all at will,” Alta explains.
Alta continued her education at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. It was there that she recalls having her first encounter with oil paints. “Moving from acrylics to oils at university was a revelation. It was the answer to all my hopes for painting. Endless activity, decadent color, techniques formerly out of reach or futile were now accessible, and I finally understood why it dominated art history.”
Elements of surrealism are evident in some of Alta’s work. This influence stems back to childhood when she would doodle, which was always inspired by reality. She adds: “Initially, I wanted to be in fashion, and I would constantly design clothes. This led to an interest in anatomy. That eventually matured into drawing live models and figure painting. My skills in youth could not meet my vision but they vied to.” Alta admits that there was a time when she grew frustrated with the gap and embraced more geometric artwork. “I still appreciate it to this day, but I didn’t want to settle on the product of discouragement. I came back to realism once I had a better trained eye and more patience.”
Alta is inspired by beauty, subtlety, and quiet. “To be a painter is an endeavor largely pursued in solitude, and I love to be alone with my thoughts,” Alta explains. “Whether they bring me joy, peace, or torment, I cherish that time to reflect and understand myself. Through taking the time to pour my feelings and memories into my paintings I gain perspective. Plus, I love seeking and amplifying the beauty of life, it is true healing.”
Alta says she is still experimenting with her creative process. “I think of it like a river. A young stream is molded by its environment, rapid, rough, and scrappy. Once it has found a path, with sufficient inputs, it meanders and still changes ever so often. A mature river follows the path it has created with expertise and control.” Some days, she may paint landscapes, other days, figure. “I may work with palette knives only or include brushes. At this time, I am open. Only with many trials is something new invented.”
Her latest works, “Hands of Influence”explore social, spiritual, and self imposed beliefs characterized as hands interacting with subjects. “My goal is to help people reclaim agency with these works. Often influences can become so ingrained they seem like our own thoughts and desires,” Alta explains. “I catch them in a way people can identify and allow viewers to judge and hopefully acknowledge their freedom of choice throughout their day.”
To see more of Alta’s work, visit altakoer.com and follow her on Instagram: @altakoer.
