Velvet Martino Zlojutro
Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts
ACORN TO OAK
Collection of Work
Charcoal and Oil on Canvas
My body of work, Acorn to Oak, explores the enlightenment matriarchal connections offer. It subverts traditional expectations of still lifes that refer to the futile allure of earthly pleasures. Through cultural symbols embedded in the subject matter, it expresses passing in a positive light, rather than a negative. The hyperrealist self-portrait is represented in conversation with my late Baba, with the lines in our faces full of stories and experiences. My work as a whole is intended to be a comment on the ones we love, based on personal reflection and the reverence that comes from nourishment. Connection is love.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Maria van Oosterwijck, Pieter Claesz, Dylan Eakin.
Marker's Commentary
Acorn to Oak demonstrates a sophisticated synthesis of material and conceptual practice throughout this collection of work. The interrelationship between the underlying concepts of memento mori, life and aging have been sensitively curated through the expert handling of the materials. A tender, yet strong relationship between the two women is evident through the realism of their gaze and pose. The large format charcoal portrait drawings bring each personality to life and are rendered in exquisite tonal detail, using chiaroscuro and sfumato drawing techniques. A poignant dialogue is further created between the portraits and the vanitas painting, through the highly considered selection of the symbols, representing each woman and their complex relationship. The cycle of life is not only represented through the title of the work, but also through the controlled colour palette, meticulous composition, and complex choice of symbols, which illustrates the process of aging; a transition from living to decay, meticulously rendered in the painting which builds connections with the audience.