Engaged in the perpetual study of nature, Latvian oil painter Hana Vater captures the hidden beauty behind our surroundings. Her compositions are “mysterious representatives” of the natural world, miniature models where Vater strives to attain harmony within natural chaos. Vater draws influence from Latvian painting traditions as well as the works of Cézanne and Morandi. Taking an approach similar to the one adopted by colorist painters, Vater follows the principles of abstraction to create realistic still lifes. She begins by outlining the composition with diluted paint, using a thin brush. Placing appliqués of pigment on the canvas, she then deconstructs the visible world into a myriad of color spots. Like a mosaic, forms are simplified into chromatic planes, which are juxtaposed, leading to complex fields and shapes. There is a poetic softness to her work, the quiet contemplation of everyday objects as little miracles of life; be they a book, a fruit, or a glass of water.

Vater earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Painting, Drawing and Art History from the Riga Art School and a Master’s Degree in Painting and Art Education from the Art Academy of Latvia. She has exhibited extensively in Europe and the United States. She currently lives and works in Conshohocken, PA.