A visionary at the intersection of art and technology, Erica Krieger brings a unique perspective shaped by her academic and professional journey. With a Master’s degree in Biotechnology, Krieger began her career performing data visualization for lab publications- an early practice that ignited her fascination with the visual language of complex systems. Her ability to translate scientific information into compelling visuals laid the groundwork for her transition into the creative realm.
Krieger spent several years working in educational media, where she honed her skills in visual storytelling and content development. This experience further fueled her interest in how information, emotion, and aesthetics intersect. Embracing the digital age, she has become a leading voice in integrating emerging technologies into contemporary art.
Her pioneering work in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) redefines immersive art experiences, blurring the boundaries between the tangible and the virtual. Through interactive installations and multi-sensory environments, she challenges conventional modes of perception and invites audiences to engage more deeply with both the artwork and themselves.
Krieger’s practice continues to evolve at the edge of innovation, expanding what is possible in visual art and inviting viewers to imagine new dimensions of reality and connection.
She sees art as a bridge- linking science, emotion, and imagination in transformative ways.
Jan Carey is an abstract artist based in Ellicott City, Maryland, working primarily with acrylics and mixed media. Professionally she is a Sex Therapist specializing in couples work in private practice. She began painting in 2022 after moving to Maryland during the pandemic. Being alone with too much time, she took an online 12-week course in abstract painting called “Find Your Joy”, by Louise Fletcher. She fell in love with the opportunity to create something that didn’t have to be representational in form and instead could be intuitive. After completing the course, she wanted more and found Nicholas Wilton’s online course which Fletcher also attended, called The Creative Visionary Program, a 16-week immersive abstract painting course. Carey's work unfolds through an intuitive process of layering the canvas multiple times, where bold, organic shapes and vibrant color harmonies interplay to form layered textures and shifting forms. As a colorist, she uses a saturated yet nuanced palette to evoke mood and emotion, creating immersive environments on the canvas. Her compositions invite viewers to find their own meaning within the interplay of color, shape, and depth, offering a sensory experience that transcends narrative. Carey thinks of her paintings as dreamscapes — vivid, yet elusive — capturing the ephemeral feeling of a dream just before waking. She hopes her work transports viewers into that liminal space, if only for a few seconds, where imagination and sensation merge.
Carey's work has been exhibited at Recharge Modern Health and Fitness, Ellicott City, MD, Art on the Porch, Baltimore, MD, The Peale Museum, with the Baker Artists, Baltimore, MD, Montgomery Art Association- Paint the Town, Kensington, MD, and Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD. She was awarded First Place in the January 2025 Howard County Art Council, Howard County Open, Emerging Artist Award for her entered piece. This was the first award to an abstract artist in the 25 years of the exhibit.
Carey is currently developing a body of atmospheric work that embraces greater freedom, fluid movement, and a nuanced exploration of neutral tones. An upcoming solo exhibition at Brookside Gardens, Silver Spring, MD, is scheduled for Fall 2026.
In my work, I harness vivid color, layered texture, and fluid form to explore the emotive power of abstraction. My process embraces spontaneity and movement, reflecting the ever-shifting nature of identity, perception, and experience. I’m drawn to the boundary between reality and imagination, creating pieces that evoke curiosity through amorphous forms open to multiple interpretations.
Guided by a deep appreciation for the repeating patterns in nature- from swirling galaxies to microscopic structures- I channel these echoes into vibrant compositions that speak to transformation and growth. I aim to create spaces that invite viewers beyond passive observation, encouraging a sensory experience of self-discovery and contemplation.
My paintings exist in a liminal space- between form and formlessness, control and surrender. Rather than depict the world literally, I seek to awaken a deeper kind of seeing, one that bypasses logic and connects directly to feeling. I want my work to challenge perceptions of reality, inviting viewers to see not just with their eyes, but with their hearts and souls.
Ultimately, my art is a celebration of metamorphosis- a vivid reminder that beauty often resides not in clarity, but in the mystery between what is known and what is felt. It is in this mystery that I find truth.
I began painting in 2022, shortly after moving to Maryland during the pandemic. Looking for connection and a creative outlet, I signed up for an online class. What started as a casual experiment quickly became essential—a way to interact with myself and explore creating.
As a sex and couples psychotherapist, I spend much of my energy navigating the emotional lives of others. Painting gives me a space of my own—for play, spontaneity, and expression. My process is intuitive; I rarely begin with a plan. I respond in the moment to color, shape, and texture. Sometimes I choose a palette with intention; other times I use whatever’s leftover from a previous piece. I like working with limitations—they keep me out of my head and open to surprise.
Subtraction is a big part of my process. I scrape and remove to reveal layers beneath, adding texture and movement. I bring in crayons, pencils, or pastels to shift the energy or extend a line. The shapes that appear often feel like dreamscapes—loosely held, atmospheric spaces that point to memory, emotion, or sensation without naming them outright.
I love that abstract art invites each person to find their own meaning. I hope my work sparks curiosity, a moment of pause, or even a sense of playful wonder.
