I began my journey by picking a random name from the list, a digital dart throw. This brought me to the website of Alyssa Monks. I began with an image search. My first impression was that I was looking at the work of a photographer. The repeating themes of water pulled me in. Here were a set of photos of people swimming, people lying in the bath, or behind the steamed up glass of a shower. I tend to be drawn to water in life and in art and very much welcomed the theme. Behind the glass were figures, faces showing great ranges of emotion. From serene and almost dead to angry or enthusiastic, all these emotions were well represented almost creating a narrative. Figures would be obstructed and distorted by the glass, a fair theme for photography. Except it wasn't photography. When I wen to her homepage I found these works to be oil paintings. Enlarged images revealed the true, almost impressionistic nature that fooled my eye. I became instantly impressed by the distortions of glass and water. The brushstrokes were exceedingly expressive yet could provide a photo realistic representation of the form when viewed from a distance. The attention to detail in the waves of the water as in the following images. Furthermore, I admire the way she creates abstractions of the human form. At times, she shows small parts of the body, underwater it may take a second look to know exactly what you are looking at but it is still recognizable. They are all very pleasant to look at. The combination of realism and impressionism in each piece flows well together in showing the human form in a way it is not often painted.
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Her galley can be found here:
I highly recommend checking it out.
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