Caitlin James
Maitland Grossmann High School
TO BE ALONE
Collection of Work
Oil on board, graphite on paper
My body of work explores my personal ideas about connection and relationships, expressing my own associations with connection and loneliness in relation to my mental health and grief. It represents the variety of emotions we can have about the links with those around us, but is ambiguous about whether they have negative or positive connotations. My use of negative space is intended to produce a feeling of absence, in contrast to feelings of connection. This work is almost like a puzzle, where I am inviting the audience to sit and ponder it and its missing pieces.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Maria Kreyn, Johannes Vermeer.
Marker's Commentary
To be Alone is a highly accomplished self-portrait executed through a refined and sensitive use of oil paint and graphite drawing. This collection of works submission demonstrates a subtle, emotive exploration of isolation. Themes of anxiety, insecurity and a sense of detachment are investigated through the powerful tension created by the prevailing negative spaces used in conjunction with realistic painting and drawing techniques. Rich layers of glazed oil paint are expertly rendered and confidently depict the figure emerging from the void. The exquisite tonal modulation and textural qualities, combined with delicately rendered facial features, hair, fingers and nails, effectively communicate the heightened psychological states she is experiencing. Tension is further explored through the poignant hand gestures that dominate each composition. A sense of internal struggle and disconnect further amplify the state of apprehension of being alone, - a confronting reality. This outstanding body of work demonstrates complex technical proficiency. The paintings and drawings are visually arresting and invite intimate, reflective introspection from the viewer.