Ida Picker

— << DREAMSCAPES | Wired Habitats >> —
Artwork INQUIRY

June 19 – July 17/25 – Solo Exhibit by Ida Picker of the painting series “Wired Habitats” explores animals, machine-like forms that are bursting with forms, colors, wires, tubes, and connections.

Ida Picker Statement
My work has always focused on color, form, and line. It has evolved from expressive representational pieces to more abstract work, inspired by a detailed photo of a battery prototype, which I interpreted as a study in human interaction with machines and technology, since the image showed an unexpected face formed by wires. My series Wired Habitats emerged, exploring animate machine-like forms exploding with wires, tubes, and connections. From here, the work moved into narrative, dreamlike pieces involving creatures evolved from the humanoid machines. My Birdbath series depicts fantasy and actual creatures in varied settings. As my work straddles the line between representational and abstract, I am using my vocabulary of images to investigate human interaction with the environment and fellow creatures, using bold, colorful forms. My recent work is somewhat surrealistic, with a hint of menace.

Education and Selected CV
2012-2019 – Yard School, Montclair Art Museum, studied with Janet Boltax.
2007-20111 – Art Students League, studied with Gregg Kreutz and Terence Coyle.
1967 – Harvard University, BA cum laude in English Literature.

Select One-Person Exhibitions
2025 – “Habitats,” solo show at Livingston Municipal Building, Livingston, NJ.
2022 – “More Necessary Things” Library of the Chathams, Chatham, NJ.
2021 – “Necessary Things” series, Ann’s Place gallery at Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ.
2019 – The Mom Series and Kitty Boy Daze, Garage Gallery, Chatham, NJ.

Select Group Exhibitions
2025 – WAE at Heidi Gallery in Livingston, NJ.
2024 – Heidi Gallery, Livingston, NJ; Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis, MS.
2023 – WAE at Heidi Gallery in Livingston, NJ; Studio Montclair, NJ; Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ.
2022 – Marblehead Arts Center,  Juried show, Marblehead, MA.
2021 – Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster, NJ; Nightscape “Six Trees” at MVA Gallery juried show in Bethlehem, PA.
2021 – Expressive portrait, Tina Rose in Blue,  in juried show at Trolley Barn Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY.
2018/16 – Expressive Portraits, Yard School Gallery, Montclair Museum of Art, Montclair, NJ.

Collections
Ida Picker’s work is in public and private collections in the Americas.