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.