ARTIST STATEMENT - DEREK WILKINSON - 2009
The act of painting and drawing allows me to create an object which becomes a physical account of my performance in the studio. The length of time to complete these paintings and drawings ranges from several hours to nearly a year. Each hour in the studio is filled with failed marks, followed by attempts at correction. Overcoming the physical obstacles is very rewarding to me. Evidence of the misguided marks gives valuable insight to how the work was created. This slow and repetitive process offers me a chance to collect my thoughts and focus my energy into the creation of a beautiful object. My body of work has gradually evolved from intimately observed still-life drawings and paintings; to work including large-scale, expressive figures.
Much of my recent work is painted and drawn from my observed reflection in a mirror. I manipulate the material in a way which creates an accurate depiction of my outward appearance. However, my goals for these self-portraits reach beyond creating a depiction of how I appear on the surface. I contort my face and body to mimic a range of various emotions not typically associated with portraiture. These gestures assist with expressing my memories of thoughts and feelings I experienced in past interactions with other people. Since the identity of the sitter in this series stays consistent, the viewer becomes more receptive to the changing expressions. For that reason, I believe self-portraits function as universally expressive vehicles, allowing the viewers to place themselves in the shoes of the artist.
My endeavors with self-portraiture have gradually evolved into portraiture with a variety of sitters. Like the self-portraits, this work reveals subtly observed body language which aids in the construction of its narrative. The sitters are friends, and acquaintances. Being familiar with the sitters, allows me to choose distinctive aspects of their personality to portray. In addition, each object in the room is an important character in the underlying drama of these compositions. I weave together clues about the lives of my sitters to create a fragmented narrative of who I know them to be. I choose everything that is included within the edges of the picture plane, often inventing settings that otherwise don’t exist. Therefore, I believe these portraits say just as much about my relationship with the sitters as they do about the sitters’ identity.
Contemporary portraiture serves an important role linking people from the present to future generations of audiences, while continuing a tradition developed by the masters of previous centuries. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to this ongoing tradition. I eagerly anticipate a lifetime of challenges and revelations which will arrive through a career in painting and drawing.
©2009 Derek Wilkinson -
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