Stephen Sanders: capstone

Abstract

The artist's statement: I focus on portraiture using vibrancy of color, gestural mark making, and intensity of rapid decision making. The idea of finding these instinctual, perfect marks to capture a feeling of not only the person, but personality of the subject portrayed. I focused upon pop stars and other recognizable people of our age in order to give an iconic image that the viewer can relate to, in not only physical recognition, but also personality. To create these images I start with a canvas painted completely black. I work on a black surface in order to define the form in a natural way which is complemented and enhanced by the negative space. I use Latex paint because of the fluid nature and viscosity of the paint which works well with creating a natural and spontaneous image. These works have been painted rapidly (sometimes in as little as a few minutes) and often times painted completely over, back to a blank, black canvas and started over. The reason I do not go back into the art and re-edit, but instead choose to start completely over is to make the image instinctually perfect, while remaining true to the moment in which the art exists. This ensures that the image shown is the image which accurately reflects the subject in physical form and personality, while remaining my instinctual thoughts of the subject in the moment.