While visiting a friend this summer, I happened upon the work of Andrea Kowch in an art magazine and was blown away. Similarly to what loved about Jane Eyre, I'm drawn its restrained Gothic sensibility.
Her paintings are haunting and beautifully dark, but without being overbearingly so. Sometimes it seems like contemporary Gothic artwork is all about black corsets and striped tights; those more obvious elements are fun (I've used them in my own work many times) but lately I find myself drawn to more subtle expressions of the genre.
I hope to have some WIP shots of my latest dolls in my next post; my little guy (never a great sleeper) has been partying all night long this past week, so I feel like a zombie half the time, but I'm forcing myself to work on them because I was really missing having a creative outlet in my day to day life. Mind you, parenting feels pretty damn creative most days!
What charms me most of all is this darkness in the light, in the middle of the day. It gives me the creeps, but I somehow like the feeling and want to live in this atmosphere. I see your point exactly, because subtle expressions are the real thing, I suppose.
In addition, the "obvious" elements you used in your work are not a bit obvious or overbearing, I find. They were quite subtle, your art reflects exactly what you are (and what I most happily am) drawn to :)
Posted by: Burcu | September 30, 2011 at 05:05 AM
what a lovely comment, Burcu - thank you so much!
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Posted by: Black-Eyed Suzie | September 30, 2011 at 09:21 AM
Wow, her work is almost scary... her paintings look almost like photographs.
Posted by: Charis | October 08, 2011 at 05:09 PM