Adrienne Kaplan
About Face
July 23 – August 31, 2019
Opening Reception :
Friday, July 26, 7-9 pm
Artist’s Statement :
This series of paintings evolved from my last WSG show and from a chance meeting with my cousin Richard. Some small portraits painted from my iPhotos were part of that 2017 show. These quick photos seize the essence of the moment. The energy of interaction when the photographed person forgets the camera and is absorbed in exchange. This is different from a posed “sitting”, the person present only for the purpose of the portrait. My painted interpretation was then and continues to be an attempt to deliver the truth of that person in that moment.
The idea of big head paintings came as I sat across from cousin Richard clicking away, captured by his friendly, generous personality so clear in his face. I thought BIG. It was immediate. I wanted larger than life size portraits of faces clearly revealing a piece of the person’s soul.
Cousin Richard was the first. Scanning my photos I considered how to convert my little images to large size on the 36“ x 36” canvas. I enlarged a photo full size and printed it tiled onto 8” x 10” paper, taped the papers together and pinned them up on a board. I worked from this.
For the 2nd painting I decided a large model was unnecessary, a 4” x 6” print would be adequate, If I needed a detail I enlarged that part of the photo and made another print, or if necessary an 8” x 10”. I began to make drawings of details from the photos and memory. This became the method for the rest of the work only interrupted by my desire to make a few 12” x 12” studies.
The paintings are acrylic paint on canvas. As I continued each painting became unique: Color selection was related to the mood at the time of the photo nevertheless the same palette has been used throughout. Each canvas got an initial coating of a base color. Paint application varied: sponges, sponge brushes, brushes, rags. The paint varied from loose paste to a slurpy soupy mix.
Then I went to work on the face, a surgical process of sorts.
— Adrienne Kaplan
SELECTED WORK BY OTHER ARTISTS
SHOWING IN THIS EXHIBITION
Selected work from our WSG owner/artists, and the following visiting artists:
Steven Athanas, Cathryn Amidei, Idelle Hammond-Sass, Marlee Hoffman, Janie Paul, Maria Ruggiero, Juliet Seignious, Laura Seligman, Martha Rock Keller
