Marianne Kolb

Marianne Kolb (born 1958 in Bern) is a self-taught Swiss painter currently living in the United States. She is known for her emotionally-charged figurative paintings that address the human condition. Kolb paints directly onto canvas with her hands, placing her figures in isolation on a monochromatic, textured background. The artist has stated that the imagery, "derives from direct observation of individuals transmuted by her own feelings which become fully known to her during the painting process." Although Kolb is sometimes compared to painter Francis Bacon, journalist and art critic Daniella Walsh describes Kolb’s work as exhibiting a "quieter, inner angst…..To the enlightenment or distress of her audience, Kolb paints the soul." Kolb's work is part of the permanent collection of the Boise Art Museum.