Natalie Pivoney
Lampshade Halo
oil on canvas
52 x 40 in.
I have been using my studio practice as an escapist exploration of my past experiences, intimately recalling through oil paint the milieu of young adulthood. A comfort based on familiarity is often found in the colors and lights of a shared living space, college campus, or local dive bar, with brushstrokes that emphasize the nostalgic quality of a memory trying to relive itself. I use snapshots collected from years of personal experiences as references to my work and play with many of them digitally in order to quickly test out different color and lighting scenarios. The process of painting these scenes brings the Past to the Present and allows me to recontextualize my history as something formative, memorable, and even charming.
© Natalie Pivoney