Abigayle Cothran ART 399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Abigayle CothranFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Junior

Date of Creation

Spring 5-7-2024

Artist Statement

After my mother passed away, my interest in her old photos grew, and I became intrigued by changes throughout time. With everything in my own life changing so much, I began searching for consistencies in the photos. Through my grief, I needed there to be things that hadn’t changed and would not change. There had to be something that had remained unchanging. Anything that hadn’t been touched by time could be something that connected me to her. The people in the collection of photos stayed the same, but their appearances were ever changing. The rooms and the homes were always different. The places and cities never stayed the same. But, soon I noticed a dining room table. It showed up in many photos. Everytime in a different room. Everytime one of my parents, or both, were sitting at it. And now that very same table sits in my own dining room so many years later. A table that’s been a constant for nearly 5 decades. An old table is not something I ever would have considered special, but now it is something I can find comfort and peace in.

My paintings are naturalistic; I strive to honor the details and accuracy of the moment I am painting. The scenes I choose are significant, so the time put into studying and recreating every detail is important. I am inspired by Jeremy Lipking’s ability to use refined levels of definition and detail, while leaving other areas vague and loose, and how he uses subtle color shifts to achieve a more naturalistic look. I also look to Ekua Holmes as inspiration for her use of vibrant colors and seemingly unimportant moments to explore ideas of childhood and family bonds.

This series of paintings maps the inevitable transformation of lives, environments, and relationships across 5 decades from the steadfast perspective of a dining room table. Through my work, I encourage my audience to consider the enduring constants within their own lives.

Advisor/Mentor

Mike Martin

Description

This is an archive of a number of my works from my time here at Murray State. Here you will find a collection of paintings, drawings, prints, and more. The majority of my work centers around themes of family.

Photo Credit

Photo credit, Abigayle Cothran

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Cothran, Abigayle, "Abigayle Cothran ART 399 Portfolio" (2024). Professional Practices (ART 399). 152.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/152