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JessBarnett

2020 Works

Onlooker

Onlooker
17.5" x 21.5"
spray paint, acrylic ink, colored pencil, paint marker, and metallic watercolor on black canvas
Currently hanging and for sale at HOME in Acton, MA
Artist Notes:
Because of the pandemic, which required everyone to isolate and left us all with a considerable amount of extra time on our hands, 2020 was a prolific painting year for me. One of the pieces I created was Onlooker, which gave a significant nod to another piece from the previous year (Ô Saisons, Ô Châteaux) and included an exploration of the idea of cutting the canvas being used and incorporating those slashes into the painting. The overall mood is one of mystery and provocative expectation, one created through juxtaposing softer shapes created by spray paint with bold, brash, and deliberate marks made using acrylic ink (a favorite medium of mine, as an aside). Additionally, I’ve always admired the power of pairing soft lilac with gold, which creates a feeling of richness and power, as well as with black or very dark blue, which evokes the dreaminess of velvet.