ARTWORK DETAILS

Teagan O'Sullivan
The Promised Shadows Painting
Acrylic paint and gold leaf on canvas

ARTIST STATEMENT

The promised shadows, or is it a promised land? The piece metaphorically representing the flow of life- creation, life, death, and afterlife. An untouched pause in-between time, lurking within the automated, emotionally charged numbing figures, programmed to enter the world within the bronzed matured, electrified walls. A German expressionist fever dream morphed by the soul due to the enduring solace of religion, fascination with the sordid modern experience of existential dread, and humanity summed up in an image. The harmonised, factorised lines, juxtaposed with the curved destruction. A dooming fate, yet serenity found within the crystallised, iridescent waters of life.

ARTWORK PROCESS

Inner fears and desires from German expressionist film and William Blake’s perceptions of the afterlife inspired my work. A recycled canvas was used, and chalk pastel was applied to correctly space the drawn sketch. Masking tape was used to outline big sections. The technique of crosshatching using a combination of dry and yet brushes over time formed the background. Shadowing and depth were created using a fine tip and thick brush by tinting the warm, white paint. Multiple hues or blue and green was swirled to create the water using different brush thicknesses, after silver leaf was applied.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Teagan O'Sullivan

I am Teagan O’Sullivan and reside in a rural area, which gives me a chance to notice the stillness in unaffected time. Just by sitting outside on the veranda while everyone is asleep, and living in the moment among the stars, lingering breeze and whispering trees feels illusory. I like exploring untouched ideas- topics which may be controversial or difficult to discuss. This stems from my greatening passion for music and film, inspiring me to create a physical experience for my audience, where they are transcended. I like making an audience re-question their thoughts, by seeing life through another

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