ARTIST STATEMENT
In my ongoing series of oil paintings, I hope to create compositions made up of figures interacting with their surrounding atmospheres, calling upon the fleeting moments we each hang onto while treading water in an “ocean” that is the human experience: the socialized notion that our worthiness is inherently based on our maximization of productivity. These paintings, which are intended to explore and savor the meditative moments in time and the “meaningless” interactions with our surroundings, were painted in 2020. The earlier months of this year marked a point in which many of us in the United States, Canada, and generally the western society finally slowed down from a decades-long bender of blending work, home, and relationships for the benefit of our economies, particularly that of the United States. We all look forward to the few grounded moments of intimacy in between the non-stop goingness of life, especially in recent generations. My paintings come from a place of intimacy, in which I photograph affection, either among people or of oneself. Altogether, I intend for a narration to be communicated from my series of oil paintings that are abstract, realistic, and in some areas blurred depicting nostalgic fleeting memories within surrounding surrealistic environments, whether it be meditating in nature or a half-memory of a good moment with a friend in any mundane environment. How have we lost touch with natural sensations through time? I intend to work towards a narrative in my paintings that show the progression of intertwining with one’s environments to make meaning of not only shared human experience within the pandemic, but of the human experience in everyday life.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I became interested in pursuing painting and generalized fine art in 2015, and eventually in May 2020, obtained a BFA in painting from WVU’s College of Creative Arts. When I first started painting, I was interested in the idea of the female body juxtaposed against a landscape of the natural world. I wanted to emphasize the relationship between the natural environment and femininity. Through a community of supportive visual artists and mentors in my college town of Morgantown, West Virginia, I’ve so far presented paintings in literary journals, art salons, juried exhibitions, and city art walks; and I’ve explored new concepts and technical skills to absorb into my work since.
© Mariah Majakey