About

Sia, standing at an easel working on a charcoal drawing of the human figure

Sia Karamalegos is a visual artist working primarily in watercolor along with ink, charcoal, mixed media, and linocut printmaking. Her work is grounded in observation, from plein air landscapes and urban sketching to expressive figure studies. With a loose, atmospheric style, she explores light, gesture, and a sense of place. Sia serves on the Board of Directors for the Watercolor Society of North Carolina and organizes Durham Plein Air. She is based in Durham, North Carolina.

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Artist Statement

I am drawn to light, atmosphere, and the way color shifts across landscapes, people, and close-up details found while moving through everyday environments. I often paint from life, working outdoors or on location, and I am equally interested in figures encountered in passing and in small, overlooked subjects like plants, objects, and fragments of place.

Working primarily in watercolor, I use the medium’s fluidity to capture light and the moments that feel immediate and alive. Watercolor requires both structure and responsiveness; I guide it, but I also respond to what emerges through the process itself.

I work from life, memory, sketches, and photographs. Spending time in a place allows me to absorb more than visual information alone, using all of my senses in that moment to feel more connected to a place and the people there. In the studio, I build from those observations through editing, layering, and reinterpretation.

My cultural background also shapes how I experience place. My Greek heritage connects me to the intense light, color, and sensory atmosphere of the Mediterranean, while my upbringing in Texas grounded me in wide horizons, dry landscapes, and dramatic shifts in scale and space. Moving between these environments has shaped my attention to contrast, atmosphere, and the emotional weight places can carry.

Across my work, I return to moments of observation that feel transient but significant. Whether painting a landscape, a figure, or a small detail encountered while wandering, I am interested in how looking closely can deepen connection and hold onto fleeting experience.

Awards, Grants, & Residencies

Exhibitions

2026

2025

2024

Newsletter

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