RENEE BRETTLER ARTIST
ARTIST STATEMENT
I have always been fascinated by the human face.
Each is a blank canvas on which life etches itself and ultimately transforms into a work of art.
Every portrait must somehow capture not just a physical likeness, but also reveal an 'essence' of who that person is at a particular moment in time.
Nevertheless, the end result must always be artful.
I find inspiration for my work in the inherent uniqueness of each face and the beauty found in simple, ordinary moments of life.
An important part of my method is to manipulate the image in different ways. This allows me to see what is not readily seen. I love this part of the process the most; it forces me to decipher unrecognizable shapes and analyze colours. Sometimes I flip the image sideways or upside down to help clarify what I am seeing. Adjusting the distance and position of the image forces me to change my perspective and allows me to see it with fresh, new eyes.
This process ultimately becomes a silent intimate dance between myself and the image.
Recently, I have been experimenting with soft pastels and combining them with graphite, coloured pencil and ink on paper.