HIDDEN FACES
The 2020 Victorian Salon des Refusés
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Cat #11 Janine Good
CAROLYN Acrylic & Oil on Canvas 125 cm h x 100 cm w NFS Artist’s Statement I first met Carolyn Crossley at the Cowwarr Art Space almost 20 years ago at her renovated heritage butter factory, a blend of rustic and modern architecture that soon became one of my favourite galleries until earlier this year when the gallery closed – it had a special energy that oozed creativity. I chose to portray Carolyn Crossley to pay tribute to this quiet but imposing-in-stature figure, a dedicated community leader and an exceptional role model for women. Her efforts include achievements for the environment, education, tourism and the Arts. She has been a Councillor of the Shire of Wellington in Gippsland Victoria for 30 years, and has been Mayor of Wellington Shire on two separate occasions as well as being a single mother and recently a grandmother. Most significantly I applaud the role she has played supporting and promoting the Arts in regional Victoria where Art can often be publically shunned and viewed as superfluous by traditional farming communities rather than a part of a holistic society. I have portrayed Carolyn larger than life signifying her mountain of achievements but applying a soft palette to reflect her calm temperament. She wears an optimistic expression of someone who looks towards the future and relevant to her community roles is poised to speak. Initially attracted to Carolyn’s facial features of expressive eyebrows, crooked smile and dark optimistic eyes, as the portrait evolved it was the intricate network of her hair that came to represent the complex juggling of her many diverse roles. This portrait was submitted for the 2020 Archibald. click on artwork to enlarge |