The still life pieces allow to make a more round evaluation of the artist’s style. They are less dramatic; they are calmer. The inherent stillness brings in an air of objectivity and provides a respite from the intensity of human figure. The often unusual viewing angles, which may seem unnerving and disquieting at the first glance, do precisely the opposite: because the view from above captures maximum detail, they reduce uncertainty, hiding less, and relax. The combined profile and en face depiction of the garlic (ironically reminiscent of police bringing photographs), for instance, repeats the portrait trend, but exerts an opposite effect, as the viewer is being reminded that a garlic is a garlic is garlic, from any perspective.
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I believe that a painter’s readiness to step beyond the generally conventional subject matter into revealing and intimate themes marks her as a daring artist willing to take serious risks. But not only: in such cases art transcends to a medium of protest, of defiance, of radical and even desperate statements that wish to change, shock, and shake things — and no less significant is the sense that the artist is willing to take responsibility for the consequences, whatever they may be. In other words, it is often the artist’s will to sacrifice which distinguishes her as “important.” And in today’s art scene it may not be easy to recognize a true sacrifice.
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Heather Horton is a Canadian figurative artist painting mostly portraiture and still life. She is represented by the Abbozzo Gallery, the Loch Gallery and the Kurbatoff Art Gallery and many of her sold and available paintings and illustrations are on display on her website. Today’s review is dedicated to the artist’s portraits.
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