Abstract
With my thesis, I explore some of the emotions and situations that I dealt with through the quarantine process. I went back and forth between Boise Idaho and Portland Oregon, two very different spots. My experiences were so varied that I think the series would have an interesting contrast of emotions.
To make this thesis a reality I have been working hard on not only my painting skills but also my foundations. I began this project by using a mixture of Burnt Sienna and paint thinner to create a base wash for these works. After the canvas has been prepped and dried the first layer of oil paint is applied. In this stage, I'm working on shapes and laying down the bases for the values in the future. From this foundation, I work on adding the proper values and hues to create the desired scene.
During my work I have been trying to move away from a base sketch, using the paint in its entirety. This has really improved not only my confidence in rending with oil, but also the feel of the work. The looser feel helps with the emotion of the images making them feel almost dream-like.
Through the work, I feel that I have accomplished some personal goals. I pitched this thesis to take a hard look back on my time during the pandemic, and in looking back, hopefully, find some peace to take away. I chose images that represented different emotions and places during the pandemic. I view the entire experience in a very different light than I did at the start of the year. These moments that I have been painting were ones that I so easily overlooked and wrote off. Their power has come back into my life, I'm excited to share these works with all of you and show you what I mean.
Artist statement
“How long will I wait”
Damocles was a man given the gift of power. To become lord of his own life he would be appointed king. The catch of the story is that he had to sit under a sword tied high above him hung in place by only a strand of his hair. What I take away from that story is that there is always peril in life, especially when you are in charge of it. At the beginning of covid, we all in a way were given control of our own lives all while under a danger, we couldn't control. I thought that an image of me sleeping soundly was a good representation of living under that sword constantly. Eventually, it doesn't mean much. You'll have to rest at some point. Being also in a clearly safe spot in my own room would reflect the chaotic nature of quarantine. Stuck in our own “safe” spaces. The lighting will reflect the mood, bright but somber as the room is dimly lit with fairy lights and sunlight. This with the addition of a soft blue, that will be pouring off the sword as it hovers above me. Blue has always been a color of strong energy for me connecting to chaotic forces in nature like the sky and the ocean. This connection will hopefully create a soft but intense moment. A reminder of how the beginning was peaceful in its stillness but heavy in context. For the metal frames, I want to create a bunch of sword fragments to line the bottom with. A pile of broken blades from those before me. It will creep up the right side so that the whole frame slants down and to the left towards the other paintings. The top right of the frame will just be metal that's been marred and scratched from dropping swords. In the center of the topped frame, there will be a shiny sword hanging proudly. Directly under it on top of the sword pile will be a crown resting weightlessly on the pile below. A good start to any hero's journey is the call to adventure, I think this is the first step.
