Paintings
I've recently become more interested in painting. Before, drawing was my main hub in art. But I've been testing the waters with various types of paints, like trying new flavors of ice cream. And so far, I haven't tried a flavor that I haven't liked...
Stippling Self-Portrait
(In progress)
Flower Still Life Exercise
April 2015
Cannonsburg
March 2015
James Dean
September 2014
"Exposed"
May 2014
I made this painting for Painting class (shocker) during my junior year of high school. It was for the symbolism project. It also happens to be a self portrait. These are step by step progression shots. I believe this took me two or three weeks. Regardless of the dates, I just know that I spent hours and hours working on this, both at school and at home.
I wrote this artist statement for this project to explain the symbolism behind the piece:
I believe there are three sides to a person. A public side, an intimate side, and a private side. Someone’s public side is who they are around strangers and acquaintances. The intimate side is reserved for those are close to the individual; family, best friends, or a significant other. A person’s private side is the part of them that only they themselves know. Such as the thoughts in their head, the deepest, innermost feelings, their honest views.
One of my deepest fears is of someone invading my mind and seeing too deeply. If someone were to try and violate that privacy, I would feel extremely vulnerable. I would be striped of privacy that I highly value, and feel utterly exposed. This painting is meant to depict this fear; having an exposed inner-self. When most people feel naked and vulnerable, they draw into themselves and cower. It is likely they feel ashamed, cornered, afraid. In the painting, my shoulders are striped and bare. My face is turned away, and I am letting hair fall in front of me and conceal me, so I can hide. Another effect is that I’d lose a part of myself. After all, one cannot have a private side if their privacy is no longer there. As a result of this belief, I made the complexion deathly pale, with purple hues, as if I cannot breathe. Like a part of myself is dead.
The back of my head is both symbolic and ironic; ironic because I am afraid of being unmasked, yet painting displays my secrets in plain sight. The symbolism however, lies within the darkness of the night; sweet, serene, and full of mystery (even to me). Mystery appeals to me, and it is comforting. I juxtapose the familiarity of mystery to the concept of mystery itself. Also, the darkness and majesty of the night is soft, sensual, and beckoning; encouraging of exploration. It is often my escape. In actuality, I also prefer the expanse of darkness with softly glowing stars in comparison to harsh, garish daylight. Likewise, I often zone out because I love to quietly leave the world around me and slip into the dark, enchanting realm of my heart and mind, to explore.
The shining dome is the back of my skull. It is glass, with my mind purely visible; deprived of its usual ivory walls of bone. Since there is no more protection against outside observation, my mind is exposed and transparent, which is portrayed as a swirling scape of nighttime. Tiny, beautiful stars dot the rich expanse. They are my thoughts; twinkling, luminous, and plentiful. All are protectively tucked into a caressing blanket of darkness and secrecy. Each one is a piece of raw beauty to me, a the rare kind that is only for me.Yet with the translucent exterior, their glow exposes them.
Lastly, there is a single, white tear slowly sliding along my profile. In my opinion, white best represents vulnerability. Alone, it is pure, but it is the easiest to manipulate; one drop of an outside color will taint the entire hue. It is meant to help capture the sadness that would accompany my helplessness if my utmost privacy and treasured domain were violated, and ultimately exposed.
I wrote this artist statement for this project to explain the symbolism behind the piece:
I believe there are three sides to a person. A public side, an intimate side, and a private side. Someone’s public side is who they are around strangers and acquaintances. The intimate side is reserved for those are close to the individual; family, best friends, or a significant other. A person’s private side is the part of them that only they themselves know. Such as the thoughts in their head, the deepest, innermost feelings, their honest views.
One of my deepest fears is of someone invading my mind and seeing too deeply. If someone were to try and violate that privacy, I would feel extremely vulnerable. I would be striped of privacy that I highly value, and feel utterly exposed. This painting is meant to depict this fear; having an exposed inner-self. When most people feel naked and vulnerable, they draw into themselves and cower. It is likely they feel ashamed, cornered, afraid. In the painting, my shoulders are striped and bare. My face is turned away, and I am letting hair fall in front of me and conceal me, so I can hide. Another effect is that I’d lose a part of myself. After all, one cannot have a private side if their privacy is no longer there. As a result of this belief, I made the complexion deathly pale, with purple hues, as if I cannot breathe. Like a part of myself is dead.
The back of my head is both symbolic and ironic; ironic because I am afraid of being unmasked, yet painting displays my secrets in plain sight. The symbolism however, lies within the darkness of the night; sweet, serene, and full of mystery (even to me). Mystery appeals to me, and it is comforting. I juxtapose the familiarity of mystery to the concept of mystery itself. Also, the darkness and majesty of the night is soft, sensual, and beckoning; encouraging of exploration. It is often my escape. In actuality, I also prefer the expanse of darkness with softly glowing stars in comparison to harsh, garish daylight. Likewise, I often zone out because I love to quietly leave the world around me and slip into the dark, enchanting realm of my heart and mind, to explore.
The shining dome is the back of my skull. It is glass, with my mind purely visible; deprived of its usual ivory walls of bone. Since there is no more protection against outside observation, my mind is exposed and transparent, which is portrayed as a swirling scape of nighttime. Tiny, beautiful stars dot the rich expanse. They are my thoughts; twinkling, luminous, and plentiful. All are protectively tucked into a caressing blanket of darkness and secrecy. Each one is a piece of raw beauty to me, a the rare kind that is only for me.Yet with the translucent exterior, their glow exposes them.
Lastly, there is a single, white tear slowly sliding along my profile. In my opinion, white best represents vulnerability. Alone, it is pure, but it is the easiest to manipulate; one drop of an outside color will taint the entire hue. It is meant to help capture the sadness that would accompany my helplessness if my utmost privacy and treasured domain were violated, and ultimately exposed.