the black dog

My portrait is simplified yet detailed. I have chosen pokerwork as the medium as it produces a unique result. The burning etches the artwork into the timber and creates a strong impression and depending upon the position of the viewer it offers different experiences. It forces the audience to determine their own viewpoint to interpret the artwork. Like life, it is not until the audience takes a step back that they can determine what it is all about and hopefully see things more clearly.

This portrait of myself and The Black Dog represents the ongoing mental health struggle we all find ourselves in at one time or another. It aims to distinguish between the person and the affliction (The Black Dog) and attempt to convince the audience that this affliction is not inherently part of them but something that can be isolated and therefore banished from their reality. Although The Black Dog is boundless in energy, it is up to the individual to overcome it by drawing on their inner strengths.

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Edward Trost has over 30 years in the arts and entertainment industry producing all types of media, including animated feature films. Trost uses the Pyrographic ‘pokerwork’ technique to burn the subject’s likeness into plywood, breaking the portrait down into a collection of tones and individual burn marks. He selects his subjects from people whose inner strength has given them resilience in the face of mental health challenges. He hopes that by highlighting recognisable people actively working through depression, his art will help to correct misconceptions about this debilitating illness.