Growth in Light

Author/Artist Name

Eve SextonFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 11-15-2024

Artist Statement

Nature has always been a source of inspiration; something about an environment which tends to be overlooked. Surrounded by or gazing upon landscapes is a reminder to engage with the present moment and the individuals I share those moments with as well. That practice of observation, of regarding any moment in life as something worth being inspired by, fuels my work. Reflecting about natural cycles can give one a more outward-thinking approach to life and connection. An organic ecosystem is a cycle of dying and rebirthing when the time is right. This applies itself into the lives of people as well. In my work, I explore these relationships and how memory- a very human concept- can enforce and impact these connections. My memories of people in places where they might no longer be able to inhabit are the scenes of these paintings.

I layer oil paint as working in layers helps to portray this immersion of figure and nature, and it is easy to blend oil paint in ways so any brushstrokes look natural themselves when pieced together. By actually painting a figure over a landscape, the two can be coherently connected visually. Pieces like “Rudbeckia” and “Quercus” show how this connection takes moments of casual observation and creates something new. I take formal aspects of contrast to bring out these moments of immersion; the way light casts shadows or the way leaves glow when illuminated from behind, like in much of my studies of landscapes. These moments of observation in my paintings can provide a moment of introspection for the viewer. Artists that use oil paint, like Heather Horton with her subject matter that relates to nature and connectedness between others are big sources of inspiration.

The smaller pieces are studies done in southern France in the summer of 2024. During this time, I challenged the way I previously thought about the way color interacts with light. I was able to hone my abilities of developing rich shadows and bright highlights during these plein air works. These skills of depicting light and shadow and rich colors in a landscape then wove themselves into my more recent work. I was able to more accurately express that introspectiveness through observation that is found so readily available in nature. The themes expressed throughout these works showcase how I view the world around me, and are themes other individuals can find inspiration in.

Advisor/Mentor

Jessica Fife, Rebecca Williams, Cintia Segovia Figueroa, T Mike Martin

Description

On view, I had 8 larger paintings, ranging from size 18inx24in to 20inx30in, and 7 smaller paintings, ranging from size 8inx7in to 9inx13in. These oil paintings served as the culmination to my B.F.A. degree and represented ideals that I have been pursuing and inspired by my whole life. The paintings were arranged with 4 larger paintings hung on a wall with the studies at the end of the wall. There was a corner made by the inclusion of a moving wall that I then hung 3 of the larger paintings on. I was encouraged to pursue painting because of the pensive, complex nature of the medium.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Sexton, Eve, "Growth in Light" (2024). B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498). 145.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art498/145