Soak It In

$3,600.00

ARTIST: Lori Mehta
DIMENSIONS: 16" x 20"
MEDIUM: oil on panel

ARTIST STATEMENT

As a young adult, I studied printmaking, which then led to a career in graphic design. In 2013, I shifted back to fine art, only this time as a painter. Over time I developed a style of painting which combines the careful planning of deliberate design with the immediacy of paint. My process reflects this. My drawing begins with a loose sketch guided by a grid. I then use a ruler to go back into the drawing where I simplify the image and discover shapes. This preparation allows me to later apply paint and assign color spontaneously and with a clear mind.

The images I paint are often those of unsung moments, things we see out of the corner of our eye. With my figures, I focus on gesture. Something as simple as how a wrist bends when a young girl is pulling her hair up becomes universally recognizable. My still lifes are the space in between. A shirt crumpled on the floor, a dress tossed on the beach represent the mundane surrounding an event. Observation of these moments through a painting can be a catalyst for someone to create their own narrative. I see my work as a form of escapism.