Luchia in the Sanctuary

The concept of sanctuary seeks to draw boundaries between the inside (the safe and protected place) and the outside (the dangerous and corruptive force). In this painting, I wanted to merge inside and outside so as to produce a feeling that was the mixture of comfort and unease — a sanctuary with no protection from the outside. The woman's yellow dress mirrors the colorful blanket beneath her, her relaxed position on the bed is coupled with her grimacing facial expression, and the top of her hair flows dramatically into the ceiling. Similarly, she holds a half eaten mango painted with the same bright yellows and reds as the blanket. By gripping the mango, she is possessing the outside and taking hold of it. Yet, at the same time, the blanket beneath her seems to swallow her body — to possess her — indicating the infiltration of the outside. The paintings on the wall signify to us that we are actually indoors, yet the abstraction of the ceiling and its earthy tones make us feel as though we are outside, possibly in a forest or woods. I painted this piece from observation using a series of glazes alongside direct application. It is of a woman named Luchia.