TAIDEKESKUS AHJO, HEHKU -TILA: LARAINE KAIZER-VIAZOVTSEV

LARAINE KAIZER-VIAZOVTSEV
ALZHEIMERIN KASVOT
23.10. -10.11.2024, HEHKU -TILA

Born in 1976 in Peoria, Illinois USA, Laraine Kaizer indulged in an “Intro to Oils” class in the summer of 2004 while finishing her doctoral dissertation in violin performance and pedagogy at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Drawing was always an escape and therapy, sketch book always at the ready and used daily to help digest everyday life. This oils class and a few private drawing lessons at the age of 18 with local artist in her home town: Carol Spengal were her only formal art training.

In September of 2004 Laraine and her then boyfriend (now husband) moved to Norfolk, Virginia for his job. There, she put away the violin and painted. In September 2005 another move for the same reason took the couple to Phoenix, Arizona where she had her first solo art show at MonOrchid Gallery in January of 2006 and shows in other venues including Paisley Violin, Fair Trade Café, Zest Spirited Dining, and Collins College.

In 2007 Laraine began playing music again, married Alexander and they both won auditions in the Las Vegas Philharmonic, where she continued to show her art including a 2011-2012 traveling exhibition of over 30 of her works through the Las Vegas Public Libraries: Clark County, West Charleston, Spring Valley and Sunrise.

Since 2012, being occupied with music, Laraine's art production and showing came to a stop. In 2017 Alexander won the position of principal flutist in the Joensuu Kaupungin Orkesteri while she was still on a musical tour in the States. As a result over half of all her works were given away in order to afford the move all of their belongings from Las Vegas to Finland.

In May 2018 she joined Alexander in Joensuu and again put the violin away and turned to art. This show exhibits the daily experiences of adjusting to a new country and almost all the work produced here in Joensuu 5.2018-1.8.2024. Always changing styles, approaches and subjects: “ I don’t like sitting still. And at the same time, I see especially in the sketches and inks that I am drawing or painting the same things over and over again, I see them showing up without expecting them, old friends come to visit again.”