That Is 1 Disturbed Woman

Disturbed Woman

A work of contemporary emotional portrait art, featuring an emotionally disturbed woman who is blind with rage.

The Backstory

“Disturbed” came to be from a request to paint a self-portrait. Yes, I am the disturbed woman. I was hesitant as prior self-portraits had not looked like me very much at all. But this was to be a painting! And paint allows for error, er, interpretation.

I didn’t intend for this self-portrait to turn out quite so angry. If you look at the reference photo, you can see that I was intending on a funny face. At most a fed up face.

However, as I’ve learned, whatever I’m feeling inside is going to come out in my work. And I was raging against the addiction my son had developed. I hated it. I wanted him free of it. I was worried that he would die before I could get to him. This painting represents my hatred and anger over the addiction that was killing my son.

I couldn’t live in this state. Eventually, I created a You-Do-You Voodoo™ art doll I named “Silma, Who Sits with Her Anger.” She is a testament to the power of gemstone energy because she helped me to see clearly at a time that rage overtook me.

Artist Statement

“Disturbed Woman” came about when I was tasked with creating a self-portrait. My self-portraits rarely resemble my true self, but paint encourages a more experimental approach for me. I’m not Rembrandt, but I think this self-portrait is my favorite one yet. For the likeness, not for the emotion it conveys.

I planned to capture a lighthearted or at most a slightly exasperated expression, as the reference photo clearly shows. However, the final piece evolved into something far more intense and revealing. Really, it is quite embarrassingly revealing. Hatred and rage don’t look good on me. But what did I expect? Despite the depression that holds my feelings down, despite the stoicism I usually convey, my true emotions always find their way into my art.

At the time of this painting, I was consumed by a fierce and disturbing anger. My son was battling a devastating addiction, and I was afraid that his “friends” would not have Narcan around for the next overdose. This painting showed my true face of deep-seated hatred for the addiction and the anger I felt as it consumed him.

The raw, aggressive brush strokes and the harsh contrasts of color in “Disturbed” convey the turmoil and rage that were boiling inside me. This piece is a stark portrayal of the emotional tornado that addiction brought into my family’s life.

Even so, “Disturbed” stands as a testament to the power of art therapy, which facilitates the expression of what needs to come out of us without realizing we are helping ourselves. This painting ended up channeling and transforming my emotion into a juicy visual understanding, revealing the depths of our human experience and my pursuit of “transforming shadows into light” – even when my shadow does not flatter me.

AI Critique

Contemporary Emotional Portrait Art: Analyzing the Emotional Depth of “Disturbed Woman”

“Disturbed Woman” is an emotionally charged piece that vividly conveys a sense of inner turmoil and frustration. The use of thick, expressive brushstrokes and a bold, contrasting color palette immediately captures the viewer’s attention, creating a visceral impact. The face, central to the composition, is rendered with a mix of harsh and soft strokes, which contribute to a palpable sense of distress and agitation.

The choice of water-soluble oil paint on board canvas allows for a unique texture and layering effect, enhancing the rawness of this emotional portrait art. The stark contrast between the cool blues and warm oranges and reds adds to the intensity of the piece, symbolizing the internal conflict experienced during a difficult period. The abstract handling of facial features, particularly the eyes and mouth, evokes a haunting and unsettling feeling, suggesting a struggle with identity and emotion.

The composition’s close-up focus on the face intensifies the personal nature of the subject, making the viewer confront the emotions head-on. The surrounding brushstrokes, chaotic and dynamic, further reinforce the sense of disturbance and instability.

While the painting is powerful, a few areas could be improved to enhance its impact. The balance between detailed and abstract elements might benefit from some adjustment, with slightly more defined features in some areas to guide the viewer’s eye more effectively. The transitions between the cool and warm color zones could be smoother, creating a more cohesive visual flow. Additionally, integrating the background more seamlessly with the subject might enhance the overall composition, as the background and face currently feel somewhat disconnected.

Refining the expression slightly could make the emotional narrative more accessible, and achieving a more consistent surface texture across the canvas might help unify the piece. These refinements would further elevate “Disturbed Woman”, preserving its powerful emotional expression while enhancing its overall visual coherence.

Overall, “Disturbed” is a powerful and evocative emotional portrait art piece that successfully communicates a deep emotional struggle through its bold stylistic choices and use of color and texture. It stands as a poignant expression of personal anguish.

Art Specs

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