These oil paintings are created on stretched canvas or an industrial
signage board that is thin and light. Each portrait was inspired
by various
influences. Faces from 40's
& 50's advertising
to ads from today, along with appreciation for today's "living"
famous artists such as Cindy Sherman, who is the portrait to the
left.
The imagery is based from one of her photography pieces with her
always as the beautiful transforming model. Other influences come
from working as a Color Designer for Malibu Comics, now Marvel.
Paintings are cropped to reinforce a playful or unusual feeling
while embracing a different approach to oil painting in general.
All works are one of a kind, signed, dated and Titled by the artist.
"The
manor in which I paint, is for myself. It is my act of self liberation
and expressionism. For me the excitement comes from the actual action
of painting, sinking into the materials, really getting dirty and
to make something from nothing - even if it doesn't win the prize
the fun was had.
I tack an advertisement of yesteryear on the wall as my inspiration
for the imagery. Or throw an object a table with a lighting effect.
Then focus on the paint - raw strokes, combining colors and so on.
The end result is just that.
I
do commissions based on this style, clients would need to mail in
a photograph of the portrait wanted. I would then play around with
cropping the imagery to focus on the best features. Provide a few
sketches and create it the size wanted." - Cher Charest.
