Arabella Proffer
About
Arabella Proffer was a contemporary artist known for her oil paintings blending portraiture, visionary art, biomorphic abstraction, and themes from punk rock, aristocracy, Renaissance fashions, gothic divas, medical history, biology, nature, and emerging sciences. She co-founded the indie label Elephant Stone Records and authored art books including The National Portrait Gallery of Kessa (2011), Gurls (2016-17), and The Restrooms of Cleveland (2019). Her work evolved from neo-gothic portraiture and pop surrealism to biomorphic forms and alien flora, influenced by her battle with terminal cancer, and is held in over 100 private collections with exhibitions across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.
Pop surrealism, neo-gothic portraiture, visionary art, biomorphic abstraction
Selected Exhibitions
- Asterisks Gallery, Cleveland (2007)
- Solo and group exhibitions in North America, Europe, Middle East, Australia
Awards
- Ohio Arts Council grant (2016)
- Akron Soul Train Fellowship (2019)
- Rauschenberg Foundation award
- Satellite Award from Andy Warhol Foundation and SPACES (2020)
- Ohio House and Senate recognition for Exemplary Attainment in the arts