Nadīne LaFond is a painter / mixed media artist working on paper, canvas, wood and found objects, creating images that explore journey and dimension through the layering of symbols. Coming from a long line of visual artists, poets and musicians, LaFond began drawing symbols at age four while visiting family in Haiti. Relying on cues from Nature and personal experiences, her work layers the bird's eye view and the eye to eye encounter at once.
She is a vocalist and songwriter performing as lead singer with experimental roots band, Swampadelica and with husband / guitaritst, Brian Herkert, through their traveling musical laboratory called "Bridine". Inspired by American & Caribbean roots music, blues, jazz, hip hop, classical influences (mostly through her brother, opera singer and conductor, Jean Ronald LaFond) and her expanding love of global rhthyms and melodies, she writes songs that embrace a variety of styles, cultures and eras to create a unifying contemporary sound.
Nadīne LaFond was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in New Jersey where she currently lives, and studied at Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts. She is presently an art educator with Paul Robeson Galleries at Rutgers University. She is also a session vocalist and has recently recorded with progressive rock band moe. and bassist / composer Mike Gordon.
instruments: paintbrush, vocals & dreams
genre: experimental, jam, abstract / symbolist
statement
Making art for me starts with moments that immediately strike me as lessons. When the underlying tale begins to emerge, I follow that energy.
