"Contemplating Chaos (1)" is the first artwork in my latest series. This piece takes inspiration from the many possibilities in the single female gaze. In its creation, I explored the layers and textures of makeup and creepy clownish styling paired with the vibrantly synthetic yet natural poison dart frog.
This work uses layering, a combination of different textures, and contrast between thick and thin brush strokes to create more depth in the subject. Such techniques in portraiture are often left to the physically aged subject, but I hope my work builds character beyond the physical to show depth, character, and dark experiences in even the most youthful face.
This artwork transforms with shifts in lighting and would make a wonderful centerpiece to a room. What is exciting and vibrant in full light becomes chaotic and melancholy in a darker room. This piece is currently displayed in my studio adjacent to a window, which creates wonderful streaks of light and shadow across the painting. This alone completely changes the viewer's perspective on the expression of the subject and continues the story in the artwork beyond the brush strokes.
The 21st-century world is poised to share in the hardships of those it most pities. But the temporal nature of the social-media news cycle makes true empathy far too much for the poisonous amphibians parading their lives in their empty bedrooms. This young women contemplates the chaos of her situation. Her tragedy has become a comedy, a mere joke, when another person scrolls by with not a care to give, only a like.
I hope that its audience will discover something new in this artwork upon each viewing. Whether a new detail on the surface of the canvas or in the bold expression of the subject, this piece has many layers to discover.