Ethereality

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Siena R.

Mixed Media: acrylic paint, oil pastel, and fabric on 36" x 48" canvas.

• Artist Statement

  This mixed media piece is a love letter commemorating the inherent power of innocence, girlhood, and femininity. Often, power is associated with masculinity and the renouncement of feminine traits, but femininity does not equate to weakness. I began my artistic process by capturing my own reference photos and settled on a candid photo of my friend dancing. I painted her figure on a 3’ x 4’ canvas in acrylic paint. I specifically did not want to use colors that are traditionally associated with power, as they also tend to symbolize masculinity. Therefore, I chose to paint the background a pastel, abstract sunset over water, encapsulating the concept of a divine power rooted in girlhood. I incorporated nature into the piece through vines and flowers to contrast the industrial associations with power and channel the feminine strength of the natural world. I used two additional mediums in the piece: fabric and oil pastel. The translucent white fabric added texture and a sense of innocence to brighten the piece. Similarly, the oil pastel flowers added a playfulness that juxtaposed the severity of the realistic painted figure. This piece depicts ethereal, feminine power, a manifestation of widespread subversive strength.

• Creative Statement

  It’s a physical expression of my mind, something that comes as instinctively as breathing and is just as necessary to live. It’s something wholly unique to me, something no one can ever take away, something that I hold close to my heart.