Liubov & Vlad, oil on panel, 20 x 16" (50 x 40 cm)
Elizabeth Zanzinger
Inspiration
Liubov and Vlad were such a lovely couple. When we first met, I was delighted at how paintable Vlad was. His face, lined with years of experience, had such an enticing, sculptural quality. Liubov’s softer features and sparkling eyes were the perfect visual counterpoint. The intimacy and simple focus of a double portrait made the most sense.
Process
I painted a sketch of Vlad from life, which aided my understanding of his personality and its influence on his expressive features. Next, I shot some reference photography to bring home with me and spent time developing the portrait. During the course of the painting, Vlad passed away. The sadness around his unexpected passing inspired me to put them together in a light-filled, dusky landscape. Technically speaking, I approached painting the sky and land in a single session to maintain a lightness, freshness and transparency to evoke an emotional sense of how truly fleeting time can be. When it came to their faces, I painted more thickly to ground them with tangibility and palpable presence in contrast to everything else being ephemeral. I continue to return to portraiture as I am keenly interested in the lives and experiences of others. The hours spent staring into someone else’s eyes is immensely personal and such a great responsibility to take on as an artist.
Permeability, oil on panel, 22 x 40" (55 x 101 cm)Jen Starling
Inspiration
Permeability is a self-portrait. The “dark angel” idea began with a different painting and developed into a series. The original painting was almost finished when I had a flash vision of the subject with dark wings. It is hard to say what subconscious imagery contributes to such a vision, but it’s likely that it had to do with my boyfriend’s (artist Daniel Sprick) large taxidermy raven. The raven is perched in his studio and has been a subject in his work as well. I love the ethereal quality of angel imagery, but the more traditional use of white wings does not match my aesthetic preferences. I’m drawn to imagery with a slightly haunting quality, therefore, the raven wings were a perfect fit. I’m particularly enchanted by the idea in Norse mythology that ravens are psychopomps, or guides for spirits in the afterlife.
Process
In preparation for Permeability, I set up two primary light sources, a warm and a cool light, to capture the image of myself. I knew that the painting needed to be very wide in order to express the expansive quality of the wings. After laboring over the design of the wings and feathers, I added the dark horizon to help with the overall design. The color palette came intuitively as a response to the colors in the portrait and was a welcome, fun part of the process in contrast to other challenges.
Convergence, bronze, 28 x 22 x 16" (71 x 55 x 40 cm)Kevin Chambers
Inspiration
This piece, like most of my sculpture work, started as a sketch. I sat down to explore the idea of a rising figure representing the concept of a phoenix. I sketched out the quick figure with its back arching and arms reaching. I then did a little sketch next to it in the reverse so I could see the line from the other side. And like a slap in the face, the two figures formed a heart. I knew it was a better concept than my original phoenix idea, so I started exploring more ways to bring the concept to life.
Process
This sculpture started out as a commission request for a large public sculpture in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Portman Company. Throughout the several years’ process, Convergence exists in many forms: a small, quick sketch clay maquette, a 36” refined finished model, a 9-foot monumental public version, and this 24” scaled version. This version was created by taking a 3D scan of my full-scale monumental clay and creating a digital model. That model was reduced to 24” and 3D printed in sections. After refinishing each printed section, I made a mold of them using silicone rubber. The molds were then used to cast each piece in bronze. I then welded them back together and built the finished 24” bronze version of Convergence.
A Feather’s Not a Bird, colored pencil, 23 x 14" (58 x 35 cm)Tracy Frein
Inspiration
The phrase “fine feathers don’t make fine birds” is an English proverb which signifies that outer beauty or appearance isn’t the true measure of worth. Essentially, it means that a person should not be judged solely by their outward appearance, as it doesn’t necessarily reflect their inner qualities or character. This piece was inspired by a song I heard by Rosanne Cash: “A feather’s not a bird, the rain is not the sea, a stone is not a mountain, but a river runs through me.”
Process
My work is created in black and white, using subtractive and additive methods, with colored pencil on Grafix drafting film. Working with a limited palette allows me to concentrate on the composition, form, texture, tonal value and lighting, while exposing the mystery and wonders of each subject. After completing the initial drawing, I took a leap of faith and cut it up and then reassembled it into a 3D piece.