Artist Statement
"Will You Still Love Me?" 48 x 36 Mixed Media by Heather Shirin
My current series focuses on portraits of women, featured in a quiet and reflective way.
I am exploring relationships that women have with other women and with themselves. I am interested in the closeness between sisters, mothers, lovers and best friends.
I capture the vulnerability, strength, and romance that women exude by using materials that illustrate their beauty and presence.
I paint directly onto the raw wood of the solid birch panels. I use acrylic paints much like watercolors - soaking right into the wood itself to bring the portraits to life. The wood grain shines through their thinly painted skin tones, adding visual interest.
Various fine art papers are used to depict clothing, and elements such as gold leaf and metallic paint are incorporated. Many of my pieces are light reflective and have a rich appearance. Intricate designs add texture and depth to the work, creating an exquisite modern Art Nouveau portrait.
"Her current pieces are a gorgeous amalgamation of her creative minds-eye and innovative use of mixed media and color, resulting in a fascinating display, capturing the warmth, charm and beauty of the feminine mystique."
Artwork signed H. Shirin
