Jeanette Martone

Sisters
pencil on paper
31 x 20 in.

Awareness of our common humanity, the fragility of cultures, and the vulnerability of those living the barest existence inspires the foundation of my work. As I depict my subjects, they are captured in a moment of time, revealing their inner grace and the beauty found in the infinite details of their environment: the sun-cracked earth, the drape of tired fabric, and the detritus of struggle.

By limiting color in my drawings and emphasizing texture, attention is focused on the essential elements of each subject. Complex images are formed that are reminiscent of the protoplasmic origins of life we share. The simplicity and purity of pencil and paper lend an immediacy and intimacy, creating an interconnectedness between the subject and viewer. At the innermost level my work is a conduit to the beatitudes of truth.

© Jeanette Martone