ARTIST STATEMENT
Distracted responds to the idea that stories, memories and perspectives can be told using coded visual symbols. Drawing upon a strong childhood memory of building a sandcastle during a stressful family situation, I intentionally used realistic colours and heightened perspective to draw attention away from the bleak background, effectively ‘distracting’ from the darker issues. In recalling this memory, I now appreciate it as an example of childhood innocence.
I hope audiences can grasp the significance of perspective. My view in that time, was purely a sandcastle, while for others it was a storm. This is important to consider in life.
ARTWORK PROCESS
In developing Distraction, I manipulated acrylic painting techniques to create formal and coded meaning. The realism depicted through colour and texture is heightened by the sandcastle's enlarged scale. I began with the sky (using masking tape to maintain a crisp edge along the horizon) and progressed down the painting. For the base colour I used large, course brushes. As I began to refine the colours and tones, I changed to smoother brushes. Throughout the painting I utilised a gel medium as a glaze. This was particularly useful in the sky to dull the light blue down to grey.
