Donna

=IB HL Art Show, 2008 =


 Throughout my two years as an IB Art student my specialty subject matter picked me rather than it having been a conscious choice of my own. My interest first leaned towards the relationship between visual art and music and in my final year warped into a fascination with portraits of people in my daily life. Using mainly oil paints and acrylic for my pieces on large canvases my goal was to introduce in a not so subtle way the characters in my paintings to the viewer, leaving my statement or meaning to be freely interpreted. In my research I try to find different ways of not necessarily shocking the viewer but leaving an impression on them. I also took a look into German history and cultural influences in its art during the Cold War in interest of my own European heritage. When I look at art in a cultural context I find that the Middle Eastern (specifically Egyptian) and African cultures have awed and inspired me to a great extent in art. Especially in these areas, modern youth has intrigued me from a psychological point of view. An interest In personal beliefs, religion, controversies, and nationalism has fueled my curiosity for people as subjects. Two artists who have had a specifically large impact on my style development are Lucian Freud and Christophe Hohler. Freud's bold highlights and shadows are a technique I admire with his skill to bring a face truly to life. Hohler's skill with shape and color is something I aspire to grasp one day. A style of art I feel I connect with must be abstract expressionism because it gives you the freedom to attempt to express emotions and not merely images to the viewer. As an artist and person I feel I developed a great deal, particularly in the last year. I feel my pieces over time have become much more developed, and although I still experiment with techniques I feel I have at least found my personal style to work with. My ideas and concepts have become more intricate and meaningful, and my work is not merely a reflection of my artistic abilities but also an expression of my character. Noticing this development in myself my goal is to find the delicate balance between these two ways. This was a problem I faced, finding the balance between control and free expression, an equilibrium I found within the works of Hohler and Freud.

//Acrylic & String on Canvas//
 * "Intertiatic Esp"**

//Acrylic & Gesso on Canvas//
 * "The Twisted Road to Completion"**

//Acrylic on Canvas//
 * "Twisted"**

//Oil on Canvas//
 * "Joop"**

//Oil on Canvas//
 * "Don't Trip"**

//Acrylic & Plaster on Canvas Board//
 * "Savior"**

//Acrylic on Canvas//
 * "In My Heart"**

//Oil on Canvas//
 * "Ana Masri"**

//Acrylic on Canvas//
 * "Stereotype"**

//Acrylic on Canvas//
 * "What?"**

//Acrylic on Canvas//
 * "Hold On"**

//Acrylic on Canvas//
 * "Sinning Angel"**