Helena Colony: capstone

Abstract

The artist's statement: The work focuses on imagery-based paintings. The inspiration is simply from the beauty of vehicles. I admire the clean aesthetic and the community they build. The individuality of everyone's vehicle is something so special, and something that many non-car people wouldn't even think twice about. However, that is what drives me: the thing that makes each car unique, and how the driver is metaphorically embedded into their vehicle. Additionally, the perfection of a vehicle's exterior is something so admirable, another thing that those within the car culture notice quicker than most. Process is a huge part of the work; the routine of breaking down the imagery into value-based sections is the main reason why I love to paint, and why I paint over any other medium. I dedicate time and effort to my work rather than doing it digitally because the act of hand painting is significant to both myself and the future of the art world as a whole. It is very important to prioritize human-made artwork, in a growing technological world, and that is what I strive to do in my work. My ritual for painting is direct and made to showcase the thought I put into each choice. Each section, each color, everything is planned out and placed intentionally. The imagery I have been focusing on is based upon my interests and the duality of inanimate objects. My portraits are sleek and mechanical. Vehicles have solid colors, but the light plays with the values, adding depth and shape to them which I find fascinating. I enjoy breaking down a simple image of a car into the values and using that to forward my work. The inspirational references behind the paintings are simply cars. Their beauty, their sleek nature, and most importantly the care each person puts into their own car. Car culture is based upon cleanliness of a car, and I want to lean into that within my car portraits. Car enthusiasts take time and precision to make their vehicle the best it can be, and they aim for perfection and grace. With my work, I want each painting to reach a different feeling within the viewer and a personal understanding within the car culture. The uniqueness of someone’s vehicle, whether that be the vanity plate someone handpicked, or as simple as a specific crack in someone’s windshield. Everything about a car tells a story, both about the vehicle itself and the driver. I intend to lean into those special details and little quirks in a person’s car. Every little moment, every piece of human touch, everything that makes a car special.