Lorrie Bortner's work invokes a calming and settled response. A graceful moment where time stands still. All forms of life created, live in harmony. People, animals, even trees happily seem to watch our world as they slowly float by. Viewed by us in greater glory of innocent beauty for their trouble. It is a place of rounded edges and cool tones. Rich with deep colors. The eyes, leaves, animals and people smoothly flow and allow us to float along with them like a dream but hauntingly close to an experience one calls back from a real or imagined past. -Thomas J. Johnson Painter and printmaker Lorrie's art are reflections of her self. Reflecting her personality, full of life, color and pure love. Her art refreshes your soul, makes you smile, always fun. You always feel pure love. Sweet Lorrie. -Lydia Garcia Santera Lorrie Bortner's work is fresh and delightful. It is a reflection of who she is, which is very rare in these days of assumptions and pretensions. While her work shows a directness and may seem almost childlike, which is a feat in itself, her vision and knowledge is anything but. Bortner tells a mythological story or broaches upon a topic she deems important to her, yet it is never propagandistic. It always comes down to aesthetics in the end, which in my opinion is what art is about. We are lucky Lorrie chooses to be real and honest, for through her truthfulness we get rich, colorful, fun and astute paintings. -Brenda Euwer Abstract painter It's easy to see why so many people are drawn to Lorrie's work. The bold colors and playful images create a world of color and life that enables us to travel, getting lost in the thoughts that the images create. The colors and images are in motion and they mesmerize, as if reminding us of a vision, or a dream we once had. Her work can be whimsical, yet powerful and bold, brave enough to address women's issues, and yet whimsical enough to invoke the joys of a childhood too soon forgotten. -Carmela Duran Museum Coordinator Millicent Rogers Museum Taos, New Mexico Lorrie paints with great focus and determination, has an original vision and can render subjects of great complexity with remarkable simplicity and forcefulness: she is, in fact, a natural heir to the early expressionists. -Geoffrey Baker Professor Emeritus of Art Maharishi University of Management Lorrie was born in Philadelphia in 1955. As a child she lived in New Jersey, Chicago and New York. She always wanted to be an artist. Her early memories are of museum visits with her family to the museums in New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia. As an adult she obtained an MFA in painting and an MA in education. Painting, creating murals and inspiring and teaching children the arts are her passion. She has received grants and community funding to create over 16 murals with New Mexico youth, thereby teaching the youth teamwork, creative thinking, artistic design and community service. Lorrie has also taught fabric painting, recycled sculpture and colcha embroidery, (a traditional northern New Mexico stitch), in the Taos, New Mexico schools. Her paintings have been shown in exhibitions around the country and in museums including the National Hispanic Cultural Center (with Rainbow Artists), Albuquerque, New Mexico; El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, (Aun Nos Atrapan), Santa Fe, NM; Museum of Fine Arts, (One of a Kind), Santa Fe, NM; Millicent Rogers Museum, (Sobre Muerte and Miniatures), Taos, NM; and Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, (with Women's Caucus for the Arts), Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
