Amy Watson
I have created oil paintings or portraits which are a combination of contemporary elements and traditional renaissance imagery.
About
The main goal of my work is to create a space where people feel safe expressing their feelings and having a space where they feel like they aren't alone in their feelings. The people featured in my work are all people who I have a personal connection with which I feel is important as it personifies the people in the pictures. My work is supposed to be relatable but in a way that allows people to apply their own stories to the feelings portrayed in the paintings. I have combined elements from traditional renaissance and baroque paintings with modern themes such as horror and tattoos, which are both personal interests of mine. I have also incorporated symbols from paganism as it is something I have grew up with my whole life and I feel that the symbols used are very inspiring.
I have also created some works which aren't oil paintings and have a more aesthetics based idea such as simple paintings with ornate frames inspired by baroque crowns and headpieces, also drawings which lean more towards a tattoo style which have a more simple, yet gothic aesthetic to them. I aimed to have a wide range of pieces for people to look at which are all equally interesting to look at.
"My Bloody Valentine"
This is a self portrait which is heavily inspired by the works of Caravaggio, incorporating the dark aesthetic. The white, blood-stained rose is symbolic of how sometimes something so delicate and pure, can also be harmful. This can be interpreted as the way little white lies, for example, can be just as hurtful as bigger lies.
"Carmen"
This is a simple acrylic study of my flatmate. This painting is heavily inspired by work from the renaissance era, with elements such as the colour pallet and the dramatic pose.
"I Gave You My Heart..."
This painting is based off of the meaning behind the three of swords from a traditional tarot deck, which is commonly seen as heartbreak, loss and pain. The girl in this painting was experiencing her own form of heartbreak through the process of this paintings being made which personifies her, making her seem real with a real life. She has her own heart in her hands, resembling the way we often say we feel that we have had our hearts ripped out, which in her case has actually happened. This painting is inspired by statues of the Virgin Mary and the facial expression she is often seen with. The combination of the gore and renaissance elements makes this painting look old but contemporary at the same time, making it a unique piece of work.
"Branwyn, Charcoal Sketch"
This is a simple charcoal drawing of my friend who is also a student at DJCAD and their work can be seen under the name Branwyn Lavan. They kindly gave this photo to use in my practice.
"Pablo and Carmen, Chalk Studies"
These are two more simple chalk and charcoal sketches of my flatmate and her brother. These sketches took roughly 30 minutes each and remind me of the drawings from the renaissance era.
"Love..."
This piece is part of a duo of works. The frames of these pieces are heavily inspired by headpieces from the baroque period with the added element of gothic themes, such as the black flowers and leaves. These frames are intended to look slightly old and worn. This frame is paired with a human heart painting which is supposed to match with the heart featured in my previous painting.
"Beauty..."
This is the second instalment of the duo however this one features a rose painting instead of a heart, which circles back to the first painting with the white rose. This frame has fewer spokes but more flowers and leaves, making it slightly different from the other one but keeping them similar enough.
Three tattoo inspired drawings
This is a series of 3 pencil and pen drawings all inspired by the way tattoo artists design portraits. I have added some gothic elements such as the long nails and eyelashes. This was to make them more modern than the paintings and maybe appeal to a different audience.
My work will be available to purchase but I will also have a small group of graphite drawings which will be available to buy as digital copies and can be used as tattoo designs as that is the career I aim to follow after I graduate.
These small designs will be sold at a very low price as they are digital only.