Welcome to StrangeFamiliar, the online art portfolio of Kris Swenson. 

Kris Swenson is a visual artist based in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Metroplex.

She is an experienced artist with expertise in: A/V Assemblage Installations, Videography/Post-Production, Graphic Design, Music (Session Vocals) and Photography.

Her unique approach to a wide variety of subjects ranges from realism and still life to blurred & distorted abstract images. She puts her own perspective onto any subject matter, with the intent of creating dynamic & provocative pieces.
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Upcoming Exhibits/News:

2012 Upcoming Exhibits:

  • September 22, 2012
    "Focal Point" - Featuring the Digital/Multimedia Art of Edward Ruiz, Eric Trich and Kris Swenson. WAAS Gallery, Dallas, TX.

  • Series of assemblage works on display at Esoterica Salon, (Fort Worth, TX) via Art Hunger, from July - September 2012. 

  • September 29, 2012
    "Full Moon Art and Music Gathering", Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub, Fort Worth, TX.

  • October 20, 2012
    GirlShow2012: Rewind - South Side on Lamar, Jannette-Kennedy Gallery.

  • "Aurora 2011: the art of light | video | sound " Location: Dallas, TX. Dallas Arts District
    http://www.thedallasartsdistrict.org/
    Admission is Free. All ages are welcome.
    http://twitter.com/#!/dallasaurora

NEWS:

  • Kris featured as guest vocalist on band Herd of Instinct's debut cd, self titled. Cd reviewed in October 2011's Guitar Player Magazine as 1 of the Editor's Top 3 new bands! Also features cd art design and layout by Kris.
    Hear the song "Blood Sky" released on FirePool Records, 2011.


    Track Reviews:

    “Blood Sky”, the only track [from Herd Of Instinct] featuring vocals, is one of the undisputed highlights of the album, a haunting showcase for the husky, understated vocals of former 99 Names of God singer Kris Swenson." - Progmisstress.

    "Although the mainstay of this album is fundamentally instrumental we do see "Blood Sky" featuring some rather stunning melancholic vocals courtesy of Kris Swenson, which are more than just incidental." - Sea of Tranquility.

    "“Blood Sky” starts with a nice rhythmic tapping guitar theme. It is the only track with a pop-rocky edge by adding a vocalist here (Kris Swenson), who also used to be in the original 99 names of god band. With additional electric guitar arrangements and mellotron this is an attractive mixture of progressive music with modern pop." - Psychemusic
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Previous News and Exhibits >>


Press:

03.25.09 - Winner of KERA's Art&Seek Flickr Weekly Photo Contest:
Art&Seek Flickr Pool Weekly Photo Contest Week of March 25th (by Stephen Becker) .

03.05.09 - KERA's Art&Seek.org Interview (by Stephen Becker):
ArtandSeek.org Q&A feature for the week of March 5th.

03.01.09 - Star Telegram Interview:
Star Telegram interview - "Arlington artist Kris Swenson uses a wide palette".

02.20.09 - UTA Publication:
"Kristin Swenson ... is also an accomplished artist. She has been selected to show her work at the new Art: Raw Gallery, which opened Feb. 19, in New York City.  Swenson ‘s well-received piece “On a Personal Note” is on display through March 28 at the Art Hotel Gallery in Dallas. She will be a participant in the very last show in Fort Worth's historic Firehouse Art Gallery, which runs from Saturday to Saturday, Feb. 28."

02.16.09: Kris Swenson featured on ArtDaily.org 'The First Art Newspaper on the Net.' Est. 1996.  // View article here //


Artist Statement:

"I approach a wide variety of subjects and represent them visually ranging from stark realism and still life to avant garde/experimental and abstract. There is always a strong personal narrative in all that I do, but there needs to be space as well for the viewer to be able to perceive my work with their own perspective in any subject matter; I feel that this is the strongest catalyst to create dynamic & provocative pieces."

"The primary thing about all of my work is that it is built around strong emotion and, regardless of the medium, will always convey a strong mood or emotion ... I work best in a 'stream of consciousness' method - just trying to let go and not force it, rather just go with what i feel and emote [materialize] it visually." ArtDaily.org feature


xo,
Kris.