Rachel loyacono

Graduated in 2014 with a BFA with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing from the University of Southern Mississippi.
 

  One of the things that attracts me to the field of painting is also a source of many headaches for me. I can become frustrated when accepting that I will always be a student, always learning and growing and therefore always making mistakes. I’ll never know all there is to know about the visual arts and that is a truly humbling fact. At the same time, the constant search for knowledge and meaning as an artist is a driving force for me.  I think of my paintings as a visual record of that search. I am continually experimenting with mediums and techniques, attempting to make the most powerful images I can at this stage in my artistic development.

   A common thread between my works is the interaction of color. I am happiest when smearing a thick layer of paint onto canvas and examining the juxtaposition of hues- the way a certain color glows alongside another. In each piece, I try to capture these luminous color relationships.  I think the power of a work of art stems from contrast, whether it is the contrast of color, shape, value, texture or line.  In each work, I try to find the subtle balance between those elements.

    Aside from these formal aspects of the paintings, the subject matter of my work is mostly figurative. I feel that we can relate to a painting of a figure in a way that we cannot to a bowl of fruit or a landscape. I am intrigued by the way an artist can create an image of a figure that has never existed before. Each viewer can project his or her own persona upon this image, and in turn have a unique experience with every painting. 

   Overall, I paint because I am passionate about the mystery of it. I hope that as a viewer,  you will find your own reasons to be passionate about my work and follow along.