Alexis Herman (b. 1962) is a contemporary representational painter who explores the regulating and meditative qualities of water. Her paintings are characterized by simple, organizing compositions and richly saturated colors, capturing water’s transfixing moments.
Herman has exhibited along the East Coast and was recently juried into the 14C Art Fair, Showcase of Artists. Her work has been featured in several publications, including To the Shore Once More. Her art is held in private collections throughout the United States and Europe. She received her BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Herman resides in Little Silver, New Jersey.
Artist Statement
Water has always been a grounding force in my life. My art explores the ocean’s calming influence and its regulating effect on my family—myself and my neurodiverse son. Water forces me into the present moment, blocking out other thoughts, and painting this solidifies the essential feelings of peace and place.
In my current work, I portray water in a serene state, offering a sensual quietude while inviting curiosity. The use of simple, organizing compositions and richly saturated colors draws us in. Focal points aside, water’s reflections hint at the vastness and timelessness of nature. Through observation, I create a mental synthesis of how water works and transform this understanding to capture water’s allure.
Water is our family’s solace. In my art, I seek to communicate the hopeful respite that I find in the ocean, offering a common ground for all.
What initially sparked your interest in art?
Less like a spark and more like an innate internal fire to create. As a young child, I was making objects out of clay from the creek, forts in the woods, and doll accessories from garbage. I even had a plan to convert the bathroom into a NYC apartment. I still have some things that I created as a child.
What connects your work together and what keeps you creating?
The ocean and its regulatory and grounding qualities. When it’s been too long, I need to either be in the ocean or painting and studying it. Preferably both.
Describe your work using three words.
Meditative, enveloping, and resonating.
What are you most proud of as an artist, whether it's a specific moment or who you are as an artist?
It’s not so much about being proud of my work; painting is a gift that I received when I was born. I cherish this gift and try to use it wisely. I’m proud of all the hard work I’ve done to help my neurodiverse son be in a good place in life. All of that effort has opened up a space for me to be able to paint. It’s been a very long road, and our patience and perseverance have brought us to where we should be. Huge gratitude for my tribe who helped us along the way.
If you could be in a two-person exhibition with any artist from history, who would it be and why?
I'm not sure about my pairing, but I'd love to be exhibiting with Hilma af Klint. Her work has such a rich part in history!
