Carolyn Oberst

Out of the Darkness
oil on board
24 x 16 in.

My aim is to go directly to the heart of the innocence and haunting residue of childhood. To do that, the dolls I use in my paintings have an emotional “charge” in that they are usually troubled in some way. Frequently they are broken, or distressed. They may be in a disturbing or unusual setting. Some are coupled or grouped to produce an interesting interaction. I pick subjects that have a compelling visual interest; their clothes, their faces, or expressions, etc., all figure into it.

The paintings of the dolls can resolve in many ways. They can be scary, moving, disturbing, poignant, or provoke mixed emotions.

© Carolyn Oberst