The art of C.C. Opiela is bold, dramatic, sensual and cabalistic. This is an artist leaping beyond the conventions of a known reality and, beckoning the viewer to follow her, enters into landscapes of infinity. With an open-endedness of vision, she peers into and beyond that which is seen, and records her mystical journeys in brilliant colors, light and textures. hers is a dance into the mysteries of life, glimpsed in secret delight and served deliciously by her own unique, creative, expansive vision.

C.C. Opiela was born in Chicago, Il. At sixteen she began her art studies at the famed Art Institute of Chicago. She gave up Saturdays, and the other whims of her teenage peers, to be immersed in her studies, surrounded by the great master of art. After attending art school, C.C. continued her studies at the university of Wisconsin and majored in Studio Arts. In addition to her extensive art studies, she has also studied philosophy and psychology. This mixture of knowledge and understanding of the psyche is what allows C.C. to interpret what she intuits on an emotional level and translate in into the visual medium of abstract design

Working in experimental, mixed water-media on paper and canvas, the artist creates her expressions of an abstract world. She typically attends to four to six artworks at a time, each in a different stage of completion. Her studio often vibrates with her dynamic energy, accompanied by the sounds of pulsating rhythm on the stereo, as she moves from one painting to the next. Brush in hand, C.C.'s intense style of painting is synonymous with her passion for dramatic colors and the excitement created with the unexpected. "Time stops with I paint, yet I paint in a moment of time. Shapes, designs and colors swirl in my head!" The results are images that reverberate with passion and color.

In pursuit of expanding her own unique style, the artist took a sabbatical and traveled to such intriguing locations as the Greek Isles, Indonesia, Australia and throughout the Pacific Islands. Her diverse travels have influenced and inspired her to incorporate the exotic colors and textures of nature into her style. Recently, she returned to a full schedule as a lecturer, juror and demonstrator. She also teaches art throughout the U.S. The recipient of many awards, C.C. has exhibited in numerous one-woman shows and her works are included in major collections throughout the US and abroad.

Posed at the threshold of infinity C.C. Opiela challenges herself to interpret and communicate her most intimate feelings, visions, and discovered truths into abstract forms. This is a bold and passionate woman who embraces the unknown and gives it a voice. She compares creating a piece of artwork to creating a life, and is often intrigues with watching how her creation speaks to her viewers and what her viewers "see" in her artwork. "When someone looks at my art, I am challenging their imaginative side to open up and let the art speak to them." And speak it does!