Hello: A Series of Oil Paintings

Abstract

I worked specifically in the medium of oil paint. I constructed three large pieces, all self portraits, that fell under the exhibition title of "Hello." The images represented by these three large paintings were a facial self-portrait, my right hand, and my left hand. The face painting was entitled "I See You", and the hands were "Left Hand" and "Right Hand." I left the gallery sparsely lit-just highlights on the paintings. I also included two benches in the gallery for viewers to sit, placing the benches on the empty wall opposite I See You. I intended for people to feel that they were being invited to enter the gallery and sit with me. During my SIP critique, or "defense", I was asked why I chose to create a four-foot painting of my face. The inquirer informed me that the most obvious interpretation of this choice is that I have a big ego. I do not expect to "conquer" the critics of my work. I actually do not aim to conquer them. Critics can critique, and that is fine. They are not my intended audience. My intended audience for this body of work was the handful of people who were having a bad day, a sad day-the people who needed somewhere to sit and think and might have unexpectedly found themselves inside my presentation of this SIP project. Sometimes when you need something, when you tell yourself that you need something, someone, some words, the only thing that really helps you feel better ends up being something that you tell yourself; a way that you explain the events of life to yourself. This is important to me, reaching the people who need the reaching.