Alyssa Thornton
2019. Oil on Panel. H18 x D14 inches.
2020. Oil and glitter on panel. H16 x W14.5 inches.
2021. Oil on panel. H20 x W18 inches.
2019. Oil on Panel. H18 x D14 inches.
Alyssa Thornton
B. 1994 London ON, Canada
Website: www.alyssathornton.com
Instagram: @am_thorn
Email: alyssamarythornton@gmail.com
My paintings address feelings of isolation, ongoing trends in whiteness and how people relate to each other in this era of new technology, one that favors instant gratification and overconsumption. By displacing and recombining idealized imagery, I create figures that are absurd and flawed. The exaggerated body language reveals the impracticality of reaching unnaturally perfected people and their “aspirational” lifestyles as displayed in advertising and social media. I’m interested in using humor to eviscerate this fantasy.
Thick applications of paint create a noisy environment that my figures must challenge and coexist in. I use sculpting tools to shape paint in provocative contrast to finer details made by using the smallest brushes. I use these tools delicately, holding my breath to keep my hand from shaking. The use of dimensional paint extends from the reality of the panel and enters the reality of the viewer.
-CV