Zoë Hartwick

Home: Vancouver BC
Title: Larry
Media: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 122 x 91 cm
Website: www.zoehartwick.com

Artist Statement

Portraiture is a tool for capturing the complexities of human form and emotion. Painting a portrait is an intimate act that goes beyond the limitations of photography. The painting creates a space where the eyes, hands, and mind of the painter merge with the subject. In this space the unexpected happens, and the portrait inevitably shifts to match the artist’s understanding of the subject.
Larry is an exploration of my personal relationship with my grandfather, Larry Liss, and his complexities. His face is depicted close up, but viewed from below so the log beams of his home are just visible above his head. Each wrinkle is suggestive of years of laughing, frowning and squinting deeply in the sun. Like so many of us, Larry wrestles with personal demons. The heaviness in his eyes reflects both the sadness and the wisdom I see in him.

Biography

Zoë Hartwick is a 22 year old visual artist based in Vancouver, BC. She is a multimedia artist working in collage, painting, drawing, and book making. Her work explores themes of mental illness and interpersonal connections, often with a focus on the human body. Zoë will receive her BFA in visual arts.