“Painting is capturing a moment in time. A moment offered by the Creator and painted by me.” - American artist Alana Knuff This piece received an Honorable Mention at the First Federal Exhibit in Charleston, SC. The artist met the unidentified model while grocery shopping, who agreed to pose for two portraits, one of which Knuff gave to her and this one. A young Black woman with long, dark, curly hair is the central focus, taking up most of the canvas. Her expression is somewhat thoughtful, perhaps in a moment of reflection as her gaze is directed away from us (to our left). She's wearing an off-white graphic t-shirt with light pink trim. Her skin tone is rich and dark, and Knuff has captured subtle variations in light and shadow on her face. Her beautiful hair is a prominent feature, depicted with loose, textured curls that fall around her shoulders and down her back. Knuff clearly paid close attention to the way light interacts with the individual strands and the overall mass of her hair. The background is blurred and indistinct, but may contain a second reason for the paintings "Reflection" title as a less-defined and obscured portion of another person's head and shoulder is visible behind the woman, suggesting that she may be sitting next to someone ... or is it a mirror reflecting that she presents a front to us of one personality, but is different person inside? The impressionistic and painterly style of the painting may not give us the answer, but the mood and atmosphere, focusing on the quiet contemplation of the women gives her -- and us -- a moment of reflection.
Reflection by Alana Knuff (American) - Oil on linen / 2010 - Gibbes Museum of Art (Charleston, South Carolina) #womeninart #art #artwork #femaleartist #womanartist #womensart #portraitofawoman #AlanaKnuff #Knuff #GibbesMuseumofArt #ArtText #oilpainting #fineart #womenpaintingwomen #beauty #TheGibbes
