Portrait of Marty
Jenna A.
Oil paint, canvas
-
Marty lived next door to me for my entire life, and was like an adopted grandmother. She went on hospice over the summer and passed away recently. When she went on hospice, I knew I wanted to make something beautiful to honor her and remember her by. This portrait is in the style of Rembrandt. Rembrandt’s technique emphasizes light and shadow and texture. His people are realistic and not perfect, with psychological depth. He painted portraits of older people, not trying to make them seem younger than they are. I found a lovely portrait of Rembrandt’s mother that reminded me of Marty. I wanted to create a similarly enduring tribute to her. I think it’s important to acknowledge old people as they are, because aging and death are real parts of life that shouldn’t be evaded or erased. Remembering those we love is essential.
-
Creativity is combining your ideas with new ways of expressing them. For me it is a way to express the ideas in my head.
