My intention in painting is to always begin from life, then to interpret the subject matter from a deeply personal and expressionistic point of view.

A landscape of distinctive brushwork, textured surfaces and gestural marks unites Ursula O’Farrell’s figurative oil paintings. Her provocative work evokes the California Bay Area figurative art movement that emerged in the early 1950s with visionaries such as Elmer Bischoff, David Park and Richard Diebenkorn. O’Farrell’s unique style builds upon this rich heritage. Primarily an abstract figure painter, she combines the emotional content of Expressionism with a contemporary palette infused with the light and shadows found within her California surroundings.

Working from life, O’Farrell’s pursuit of beauty begins with an open heart, ready to explore the inner workings of what lies within the human figure posed before her. “I do not try to render with my eye, but instead, I seek to interpret and express what is felt from within me — from a place of soul.”

Ursula O’Farrell is a California contemporary artist with a strong background in abstract figurative painting. Her formal studies began with a bachelor’s degree in painting from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. During her junior year, she studied in Italy through Gonzaga University in Florence. Upon graduation, Ursula received the prestigious Eugene Escalier Foreign Study Scholarship for independent study focused on German and Austrian Expressionism. Later, she received a master’s degree in painting and drawing from San Jose State University. Her exposure to myriad of internationally renowned artists working in the fields of abstraction and the figure came from working at various art institutions such as Smith Andersen Editions; Silicon Valley Arts Council and the San Jose Museum of Art.

“I paint from within in order to capture essence, mystery and vibrancy.”