Alexandra Warren was born in New York City but spent her childhood in Greece; the influence of Greece can be seen in her work, especially her most recent paintings, which incorporate metal leaf reminiscent of Greek Byzantine icons. Alexandra began painting on the island of Paros and later received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) from Rhode Island School of Design in the U.S.A. Alexandra also studied with Paul Martin and Alastair Gordon at Leith School of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Alexandra uses colour and symbol in a way that references late-modern abstraction in order to paint life-size figures. The physical act of painting is a conversation which begins with layers of the materials she is working with - whether this is oil paint, or metal leaf over old-fashioned gesso. The canvas or panel is then stained, scumbled, dragged and drawn, slowly revealing figures who stand and stare, dance or converse in silence. Alexandra is interested in a person's character, their internal portrait. Her figures are an answer to a statement made by H.D. Thoreau in his book Walden: " Moreover I, on my side, require of every writer, first and last, a simple and sincere account of his own life..." Alexandra's work is an account of her own life and the people nearest her.
Greek Byzantine icons and Cycladic figurative sculpture are of central importance to Alexandra's work: their simplicity of form and strength of spirit inform her own approach to the human figure. Another strong influence is the work of her grandmother, sculptor Jo Jenks, who carved semi-abstract figures from black granite and other stone. One of these stone women stood in the garden of Alexandra's family home for many years.
Alexandra currently lives and works in the Scottish Borders. She has work in private collections in the U.S., the U.K., Greece and Germany.