This transformative reinterpretation takes its inspiration from John Singer Sargent’s A Dinner Table At Night, circa 1884. My reworking narrows in on Edith Vickers, a patron and benefactor of Sargent’s, cropping aspects of the original. The composition was then reconstructed as a collage with new found objects, including an actual photograph of the subject for my portrait, before being illustrated and finally painted.
This transformation, along with the loose approach of most of the work, allows the viewer to focus on the sharper details on the subject’s face. The resulting affect, while making eye contact with the subject, is similar to what one sees in their peripheral vision, with only the visual information necessary to convey the dining room setting being present.
This piece maintains a strong, monochromatic approach in its abundant use of reds, which de-emphasizes the broader color palette of this piece compared to others in the collection. A particularly favorite detail in this piece is the cup of wine in the subject’s hand, which distorts the shapes showing through the glass into swirls and highlights.
_2017-02-21-21-54-14.jpg "New Orleans art Olivia in Treme by artist Queen Hope Parker: Limited Edition Prints")
