Evie Barker

BA Creative Writing and Fine Art

My project examines the effect of lockdown on my perceptions of myself and my family. The small macro paintings I have produced represent how the time spent together has encouraged me to literally and metaphorically ‘look closer’; the result is an honest portrayal of texture, fine lines, and pigmentation. The larger portraits express my sense of melancholy throughout the pandemic. The muted colour palettes and wistful gazes are part of a long tradition of melancholia in artwork, a form of sadness that provided inspiration to poets and painters throughout history. All artworks are completed using a lengthy process of building up thin layers of oil paint to achieve delicacy and realism. Each piece is named after a poem that captures the current feeling of the subject portrayed, dealing with the merits and/or issues of isolation that we have all experienced this year.

eviebarkerart.com