who

is

arie

Anyway?

“Listen, I’m an absolute

Hey, art lovers! Arie here, the founder

and namesake of this online space for

learning abstract art.

Let me introduce myself: I’m a creative director, Brooklynite and textbook Aquarian. My eternal love affair with early 00s sitcoms means that you’ll usually find me binging Sex and the City re-reruns while trying to choose paint colors. Travel is to me what Carrie is to SATC – the main part. Whether I’m taking a sanity walk in my own city or renting out my apartment to experience somewhere new, seeing the world gives me endless inspiration for creating art #artreallyiseverywhere. Sometimes I feel like a misfit in the art world, but hey, we’re all riding the same imposter waves, amrite?

OK, confession time – everything you read above is a big little lie.

Arie isn’t a real person, nor is she an AI avatar. Arie is a muse, a persona dreamed up in colorful detail so that this abstract nook of the “arternet” could be shaped with clear intention, style and focus. And yet, while you won’t meet Arie in human form, she is very much alive in everything you experience across this platform – in the flavor of the courses led by our resident artists to our blog, The Portal. Trust us when we say we went in deep during the persona process: right down to how Arie spends her weekends, what her favorite emojis are and who she’s dating (FYI: we were Team Aidan).

If ARIE didn’t start this thing, who did?...

Burnout. That’s not my name, of course, but that was the catalyst for ARIE’s birth. When I (Karin, co-founder – hi 👋) started experiencing the unmistakable signs of burnout, I turned to abstract art. It was a salve for all the stress, it felt like therapy – it was therapy – and soon I rebranded the canvas-covered corner of my living room as my “soul sanctuary”. I scoured relentlessly online for resources to support me in my new obsession but couldn’t find anything that actually spelled out how to do so many of the techniques I love in other artists’ work. Sure, there was a bit of variety but zero vibes. The scene felt as lame as Berger’s break up post-it, so I began to ask my favorite artists if they wanted to collaborate and create courses that spoke to people like me.

Then what happened?

Cut to now, we have a diverse range of artists in the ARIE family, from all across the globe. They share their tools, techniques and insights so that you can make amazing abstract art… the kind of pieces you actually want to hang. In our 80,000-strong community of painters, some have quit their day jobs to sell their work professionally, others paint for pure fun. Whatever your intention is, this is about self-expression, freedom and creativity. It’s all here for the taking.

Tell me more about ARIE though. Why is it written in capitals? Are you shouting?

We can be loud when we want to be but no, we’re not yelling. Plot twist: ARIE is also an acronym, Art Really Is Everywhere. We exist to show you that you can find inspiration all around you every day and you can use it to fuel your creativity. It’s not always easy to do by yourself though, which is where our courses come in.

Then what happened?

Cut to now, we have a diverse range of artists in the ARIE family, from all across the globe. They share their tools, techniques and insights so that you can make amazing abstract art… the kind of pieces you actually want to hang. In our 80,000-strong community of painters, some have quit their day jobs to sell their work professionally, others paint for pure fun. Whatever your intention is, this is about self-expression, freedom and creativity. It’s all here for the taking.

Tell me more about ARIE though. Why is it written in capitals? Are you shouting?

We can be loud when we want to be but no, we’re not yelling. Plot twist: ARIE is also an acronym, Art Really Is Everywhere. We exist to show you that you can find inspiration all around you every day and you can use it to fuel your creativity. It’s not always easy to do by yourself though, which is where our courses come in.

What other surprises are you hiding up your paint-splattered sleeves?

Contrary to the lie we told above, we actually tell the truth here. Real talk only. We tell it like it is and bare the details that are often under lock and key in the abstract art world. Be prepared to be taken behind the scenes so you can learn, practice, progress… and get a serious creative high. We rarely stay inside the lines. We like it that way and think you will too. See you in the studio.