The following artworks are made with powder charcoal and pan pastel on canvas, and oil on canvas.
FINDING LIGHT AMIDST DARKNESS, GLIMMERS OF HOPE
My artistic research was guided by two different images and mediums: chest CT scans of small airway disease in the lungs and photomicrographs of ANCA-associated vasculitis, which I translated through the mediums of powder charcoal, pan pastel, and oil painting on canvas.
My powder charcoal and pan pastel on canvas artworks are more fluid and inspired by chest CT scans of small airway disease. The connection between lungs and nature, particularly the branch work of blossoming trees, guided my work. Just as a plant must adapt and survive when infected, the human body reacts in the same way. I have always been drawn to powder charcoal for its ability to reveal light within darkness. Using only an eraser, I discovered shapes, forms, and light, capturing the movement and blurriness of nature while integrating the imagery of the scans within the leaves and shadows. The lungs, with their intricate network of branches, are mirrored in the natural world. Our own bewilderment to why some diseases attack and arise seemingly out of thin air adds to the sensation of blindness and blurriness that I portrayed in these gestural and indistinct compositions.
My oil paintings are emotional responses to these photomicrographs. Initially drawn to their colors, I began by focusing on their patterns and textures. However, as I painted, I moved towards creating plumes of color that faded in and out of each other, forming blurry yet harmonious compositions. These colors melded and separated, creating moments of small, intricate marks. The flow of the painting dictated each subsequent stroke and hue, with color both colliding and coexisting within their own spaces. The result is a sensation akin to moments beneath clouds, with glimmers of light piercing through – an artistic representation of finding light amidst darkness, glimmers of hope. Without the context of photomicrographs, one might simply see the beauty of the color and the intriguing movement of patterns, unaware of the powerful story behind them.
I chose this topic to confront my emotions and purge my thoughts onto the canvas, transforming something ugly, cruel, and unfair into something beautiful. My mother’s diagnosis brought me newfound awareness and understanding of these diseases, revealing the public’s general lack of knowledge. These conditions are often invisible, with sufferers carrying their pain and disabilities in silence. Through my art, I aim to bring awareness and foster conversations that create a deeper understanding and empathy for those affected.
My powder charcoal and pan pastel on canvas artworks are more fluid and inspired by chest CT scans of small airway disease. The connection between lungs and nature, particularly the branch work of blossoming trees, guided my work. Just as a plant must adapt and survive when infected, the human body reacts in the same way. I have always been drawn to powder charcoal for its ability to reveal light within darkness. Using only an eraser, I discovered shapes, forms, and light, capturing the movement and blurriness of nature while integrating the imagery of the scans within the leaves and shadows. The lungs, with their intricate network of branches, are mirrored in the natural world. Our own bewilderment to why some diseases attack and arise seemingly out of thin air adds to the sensation of blindness and blurriness that I portrayed in these gestural and indistinct compositions.
My oil paintings are emotional responses to these photomicrographs. Initially drawn to their colors, I began by focusing on their patterns and textures. However, as I painted, I moved towards creating plumes of color that faded in and out of each other, forming blurry yet harmonious compositions. These colors melded and separated, creating moments of small, intricate marks. The flow of the painting dictated each subsequent stroke and hue, with color both colliding and coexisting within their own spaces. The result is a sensation akin to moments beneath clouds, with glimmers of light piercing through – an artistic representation of finding light amidst darkness, glimmers of hope. Without the context of photomicrographs, one might simply see the beauty of the color and the intriguing movement of patterns, unaware of the powerful story behind them.
I chose this topic to confront my emotions and purge my thoughts onto the canvas, transforming something ugly, cruel, and unfair into something beautiful. My mother’s diagnosis brought me newfound awareness and understanding of these diseases, revealing the public’s general lack of knowledge. These conditions are often invisible, with sufferers carrying their pain and disabilities in silence. Through my art, I aim to bring awareness and foster conversations that create a deeper understanding and empathy for those affected.
