Portfolio

(42mm x 30mm)

(42mm x 30mm)

(42mm x 30mm)

(42mm x 30mm)

(84mm x 59mm)

(84mm x 59mm)

(21mm x 30mm)

(21mm x 30mm)

(30mm x 21mm)

(30mm x 21mm)

(84mm x 59mm)

Agnes Cecile

• Agnes Celie’s real name is Silvia Pelissero and was born in 1991, Itlay.

• Her education only consists of a art high school in Rome, where after she continued to be self-taught.

• Some of her most favourite visual artists include Van Gogh, Munch, Caravaggio, Schiele, Kandinsky, Pollock, Bacon, Freud, Woodman, Svankmajer, Barney, Cattelan, Hirst…

“My creative process consists of taking notes on my sketch book about keywords I want to convey, then make few fast sketches of images that could be the best to represent them.I choose the final sketch, add some details and then I go straight away on canvas. And usually on canvas, starting from the sketch idea, I improvise following the inspiration of the moment.”

• Agnes Cecile uses simple images and creates truly amazing emotional portraits through colours and movement

• Her work is abstract yet detail at the same time and shows some kind of realism.

• Every portrait is unique and has its own character but they still manage to capture the artists style

• Cecile create her backgrounds using bold brush strokes combined with interesting splatters, drips and hints of explosive colours

• Her work also contains a lot of butterflies and birds, which I believe symbolises freedom and femininity

• The mediums Cecile uses are watercolours, inks, acrylic, oil and enamel paints

(30mm x 21mm)

Although Agnes Cecile mainly works in watercolours, I wanted to try out this technique with acrylic paint by watering them down too get a liquid like consistency. I had used watercolour techniques like this before and acrylics in comparison were disastrous, I think that painting on a primed surface instead of paper didn't help either as there was no where for the liquid to be absorbed and the drying time took ages. 

Frank Auerbach

Frank Auerbach was born in Berlin, his style was considered modern art and explored  abstract expressive technique.  He was often criticised for his thick application of paint and it was said to be almost sculpture like. Although a large amount of his work was painting I wanted to focus more on his drawing and how they have inspired me. I particularly found the process of starting of with charcoal covered paper and rubbering out to create an image, using white chalk for highlights interesting, tried technique out but wasn't fully satisfied with the outcome. Where I don't like about this method is that once your done and spray it with fixative the highlights become due and the image is less striking.

I also tried this method out and really enjoyed the quickness of it all, it seems almost effortless. 

Michael Edens

Michael Edens was born in Rochester, Minnesota, 1980 and stuied Film/Video Production at Univeristiy and later transferred to study Interactive Design. He started off working as a web developer, having so much love and inspiration from the web and technology he introduced the first Media Arts / Computer Studies degree through the School of Individualized Learning. He now offers his work to be part of websites and experiments a range of mediums exploring the space between abstract and conventional art. I choose his work as I found the whole process of creating an image by layering up little squiggles rather fascinating and wanted to try the technique out for myself.

Andrew Salgado

• Andrew Salgado was born in 1982

• He is an Canadian painter who considers himself to paint in an abstract style

• Focuses on portraits and figurative paintings and masculinity 

• Inspired by artists such as Daniel Richter and Bjarne Melgaa

• Lives and works in London since 2008

(1800.9mm x 1699.3 mm)

• This painting is titled The Conversation which was created by Canadian painter Andrew Salgado in 2012.

• The painting’s dimensions are 70.9 x 66.9 inches which is roughly the same size as 4A0.

• The medium of which it is in is oil paints on canvas and I believe it was created using palette knives and possibly flat brushes, which really gives an interesting block effect. 

• The colours in this piece to me suggest some kind of sadness and a feeling of being trapped as the blues almost seem to smother the subject and there is a sense of being lost.

(84mm x 59mm)

This piece inspired me to use a simpler colour palette and try out flat brush techniques (although I believe it was created with palette knives) it would still give the same effect. 

Paul Wright

Paul Wright was born in Leicester, 1973 and studied as an illustrator. He works with a rich palette with hint of unexpected colours, using thick, bold strokes to create wonderful textures. His backgrounds are kept very simple so as not to draw attention away and distract viewers from the subject matter. Wright focuses on the individually and personality of the person choosing thoughtful compositions and selective colours to create moods, his portraits also have a blurred effect where the subject is recognisable to the viewer but not overly so that the sitter would seem exposed.

Art History Presentation: Olga Boznanska & Andrew Salgado

Having now done my presentation and discussing it with students and my tutor, I have now come to a conculsion that perhaps it would be better for me to choose other artists. As although I am highly interested in their work and partially Andrew Salgado modern painting style, I believe there will not be an awful lot of information about them such as books, articles and interviews, which I need to use to support my essay, I also think that instead of looking at just portraiture, it would be more beneficial to compare self-portraiture and how an artist chooses to express themselves based on their lives. So all in all although my presentation has totally changed my mind on which images I wish to focus on in my essay. I feel that this has really given me a more clear idea on where to take this project and  also just little bit more drive and encouragement I needed to get the ball rolling.

Artist Presentation: Agnes Cecile

Having now completed my artist presentation, looking back and considering others peoples view on the work of Agnes Cecile I believe that although her work is stunning she seems to be considered more of an illustrator rather than an actual fine artist. This has really give me a lot to think about on how fine artists and illustrators differ, illustrators tend to produce work that has less meaning. In a sense that, they are paid to produce something pacific to tend to a clients needs and demands . Where as a fine artist will produce work purely for their own satisfaction and passion for the arts. If someone is interesting in offering them money for their work, well that just a bonus.

Photography: Portraiture