Entry N
26″ x 32″, ink and colored pencil on marker paper, mounted on poster board painted with acrylic
The pop art movement has always intrigued me and the composition of my piece reflects that; however, the artists I used as inspiration were Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. The background was inspired by Van Gogh and is reminiscent of the swirls in his painting, Starry Night. Creating movement, I swirled colors together to tie each portrait together. Picasso highly influenced my color palette and I took inspiration from his earlier works which were painted using one color with all of its shades and values. In this way, I portrayed different human emotions with the colors they invoke and the beasts they bring out. The beasts I used in this piece are referenced from ancient Greek, Roman, and Medieval mythology: The angry red man changing into a menacing, snarling dragon; the yellow, joyful child turning into a mythical faun; the serpent woman green with envy; the disdainful old man changing into a blue ogre-like beast. All personify the power of emotions and bring out their true colors, revealing The Beast Within.