To Esther Epstein, a work of art is not simply about the artist’s intended meaning – but a portal through which a viewer can encounter a “dreamscape” of uniquely personal emotions and interpretations. Thus she relies on a minimal palette of color, soft abstractions, intricate or tangled lines, and realistically expressive portraits that both convey and elicit an intensity of feeling.
Her artistry has connections with her other work, as a professional art therapist. At Suburban Hospital in Bethesda , Md. , and at the National Institutes of Health, she has worked with the terminally ill, and with patients under close psychiatric observation and care. Esther, who has training in mixed media, studied at the University of Maryland , George Washington University , and the Corcoran School of Art.