Hannah
Title
Hannah
Description
What drew you to this medium?
I have always been a visual person and I enjoy the workflow that I get into as I'm adjusting all the details of my paintings. It's good for my mental health because it forces me to slow down and be present. Also, oil paint allows for many adjustments due to its slow drying time. So, I have time to be as picky as I want. I like creating 2D art because I feel like it's easier for me to pull out stories and emotions from it.
Why are you drawn to this subject?
I love painting people. There are so many factors that make a person recognizable and being able to capture that is fun. Also, the way that color, shadow, and structure play a part in each painting is interesting to me. When I saw that my friend Hannah was on the list of models, it was a no-brainer that I would paint her. However, Hannah did not model for the torso study. The torso study was a class assignment with a separate model.
What Does Your Artwork Represent?
Regarding the Hannah portraits, I was trying to capture her as accurately as possible at first. A lot of my design choices were practical. Now, I think that the final portrait represents what a lot of us have been feeling for the past year—stuck and weary. The vines looping through her hair indicate some passage of time. While she's been trapped in one place, the world has been moving on around her. Her eyes are such an important part of the portrait because she's masked and, to me, they seem sad. It's like they have witnessed a lot of bad things and have no choice but to see more. Every time I look at her, I feel like she's asking me something, but I can never tell exactly what it is. What Inspires You? Good music, friends, stories, and other artists. If something makes me feel a strong emotion, then I think that it can be inspiring.
What connection do you have to your art?
The heavy amount of work that goes into creating this art makes it all feel like it's a part of me. It's like I have to put a bit of myself into everything I make.
I have always been a visual person and I enjoy the workflow that I get into as I'm adjusting all the details of my paintings. It's good for my mental health because it forces me to slow down and be present. Also, oil paint allows for many adjustments due to its slow drying time. So, I have time to be as picky as I want. I like creating 2D art because I feel like it's easier for me to pull out stories and emotions from it.
Why are you drawn to this subject?
I love painting people. There are so many factors that make a person recognizable and being able to capture that is fun. Also, the way that color, shadow, and structure play a part in each painting is interesting to me. When I saw that my friend Hannah was on the list of models, it was a no-brainer that I would paint her. However, Hannah did not model for the torso study. The torso study was a class assignment with a separate model.
What Does Your Artwork Represent?
Regarding the Hannah portraits, I was trying to capture her as accurately as possible at first. A lot of my design choices were practical. Now, I think that the final portrait represents what a lot of us have been feeling for the past year—stuck and weary. The vines looping through her hair indicate some passage of time. While she's been trapped in one place, the world has been moving on around her. Her eyes are such an important part of the portrait because she's masked and, to me, they seem sad. It's like they have witnessed a lot of bad things and have no choice but to see more. Every time I look at her, I feel like she's asking me something, but I can never tell exactly what it is. What Inspires You? Good music, friends, stories, and other artists. If something makes me feel a strong emotion, then I think that it can be inspiring.
What connection do you have to your art?
The heavy amount of work that goes into creating this art makes it all feel like it's a part of me. It's like I have to put a bit of myself into everything I make.
Creator
Ava Allen
Collection
Citation
Ava Allen, “Hannah,” RICE (Research, Internships, and Creative Endeavors) Symposium, accessed April 29, 2024, https://ricecentrecollege.omeka.net/items/show/259.