Rachel

Description

Portrait

Oil on canvas

30 x 40 cm

Unframed

£250.00

Artist’s Statement

I am lucky enough to spend my time between beautiful islands: the Isle of Wight in the English Channel and the seven Aeolian Islands off the north coast of Sicily (Italy).

The geography of the Isle of Wight is surprisingly diverse. Its landscapes range from the rugged West Coast battered by fiercely potent Westerly winds to the gentle prettiness of the sheltered northern area. The variability of the weather is astounding and is an endless source of inspiration for sky and seascapes.

The volcanic Aeolian Isles – Eolo being the god of Winds – are unique and amongst the most beautiful islands in the world. Their geography is dramatic and unforgiving as they fight for survival against devastating winter storms and blistering heat in the summer. But – inbetween – there is pure breathtaking magic.

I feel privileged to witness the soft silent pinks of an Aeolian sunrise, to see the strident bluer-than-blue cobalt skies, to hear the screaming winds whipping the waves, and to marvel at the multi-coloured transparency of the crystalline seas.

Where possible, I paint ‘En Plein Air’ but am by no means adverse to working from photos. I firmly believe that when you know – and love – a place so intimately that it enters your soul, your vision of that photo goes far deeper than the simple image.

It is the ever changing light and atmospheres on all these islands that fascinate me.

And my quest is to try and share such beauty with you, the beholder.

The same search to transmit beauty motivates my portraits. But here the mystery lies hidden within the subject. The intangible essence of the sitter’s life: grief, joy, sadness, cynicism, vulnerability… endless nuances to be ‘captured’ on canvas.

Similarly, the paintings on glass endeavour to express the range of emotions represented in the faces of religious figures such as the Madonna and Gesu Bambino. The technique of painting in oils directly onto glass dates back to Roman times and, though once very popular throughout Europe, is now relatively rare. For this reason, these paintings are treasured by collectors. It is a meticulous process in which the paint is applied ‘in reverse’ in separate stages i.e. what you would normally add as the final touch has to be painted first, left to dry, and then painted over with successive layers.It requires a very sure hand because, once dry, errors cannot be corrected. The advantage is that the brilliancy of the colours through the glass remains intact.

Thank you for your interest, and I hope you enjoy the results of what I love doing most.

Alina