Cynthia Staples

1. Untitled 1 – oil on canvas; 18 x 18 in.

2. Untitled 2 – oil on canvas; 18 x 18 in.

3. Tire – oil on canvas; 24 x 24 in.

4. The Last One – charcoal on Stonehenge paper; 30 x 22 in.

5. November 8, 2016 – charcoal on Stonehenge paper; 30 x 22 in.

6. Dontcha Know the Wind’s Gonna Blow – charcoal on Stonehenge paper; 30 x 22 in.

7. Weeds – charcoal on Stonehenge paper; 30 x 22 in.

Cynthia Staples (1944–1924)

Post trumpian work. My work abruptly changed after the 2016 election, and I started working in rough, emotionally charged imagery. Previously, I had made skilled portraits of fruits and vegetables, lovingly glazing the surfaces with delicate colors.

The morning after the election I did a large charcoal called “November 8, 2016”. I continued doing dystopian imagery in charcoal and then began painting again. I think this imagery is synthesized by combining both my grieving and my hope.

Veronica Clements interviewing Cynthia Staples

artist’s website

© Cynthia Staples