As previously explained my work is all about Femininity, and emotions. See my first post here: https://www.christellepretoriusart.co.za/an-artists-journey/ My portraits, pretending to be themselves, read more here: https://www.christellepretoriusart.co.za/an-artists-journey-ii-the-pretentious-portraits/
The singer Frou Frou has a song Let Go, part of the lyrics are as follows:
‘so let go
And jump in
Oh well whatcha waiting for
It’s all right
‘Cause there’s beauty in the breakdown
(So let go) yeah let go
And just get in
Oh it’s so amazing here
It’s all right
‘Cause there’s beauty in the breakdown’
To listen to the song, please copy and paste this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13WAhlE02ew
The beauty in the breakdown to me is the beauty in truth. Sometimes it’s the beauty in silence and/or passiveness. The total feeling of isolation. Standing still, being surrounded by people, but feeling like the only one aware of what’s going on. It sometimes feels if I see more than what I should, as if people are oblivious to the ‘truth’ but I see it for what it is.
When all else disappears and you are exposed and vulnerable, that is where the real beauty lies. Letting go of pretence. To just … be.
The figures I paint will show all the emotions that I feel and I often live/struggle with. At times feeling happy and strong, but also feeling vulnerable, exposed, isolated, and passive. The figures are exposed for everyone to see, they have nothing to hide. Baring, it all in the open for everyone. Fragile but beautiful.
“There were things I wanted to tell him. But I knew they would hurt him.
So, I buried them, and let them hurt me.”
― Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
When you are confronted by reality and the only thing you feel you can do is sit down, and try to hide away. There is an openness and an honesty. Conversation in the silence. Building of character.
Silent and solitary figures. Keeping the viewers’ attention captive.
New work will also include compositions with different South African Flora. The use of proteas and aloes in the work represents the hardiness of the figures. The ability to withstand great adversity and tough circumstances. Working through harsh environments, still standing. I am also focussing on hands and feet, to sharpen up my skills in drawing figures.
In these paintings, I am using a limited palette. Only that which is necessary. My palette consisted of Titanium white, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Orange, Sap Green, Alizarin Crimson and French Ultra Marine. I find that they work well with what I am trying to achieve. Colour mixing is something I have found quite easy with my array of ‘old’ palette colours, now that I am going back to the basic colours of the colour wheel I find myself in areas of unknown. It’s quite exciting mixing new colours and putting them down and seeing how beautifully they work together.
To me these figures are something special, as I am still busy with the idea of ‘I am part of all I have met. And that we are shaped each day by the people we meet and the daily occurrences.