katy evans
My practice is inspired by Surrealism and dominant themes within my practice is the grotesque and distortion of the human face. Artistically, my intentions are to produce disturbing imagery to evoke shock from the viewer, but also curiosity and a sense of understanding. The ability to feel a personal connection to grotesque pieces of work is incredibly important to me. I want the audience to find the beauty in artwork that would usually be seen as disturbing. This is because my work is very personal, as I use painting as a catharsis by drawing on experiences over the past few months of my life. I find inspiration from my dreams and mental illness. Two days prior to producing my first piece in this body of work, I began antidepressants- which set the tone for the evolution of my paintings. My work acts as a kind of diary, following me through visits to A&E and episodes of binge drinking as a result of my rapid spiral into anorexia.
The way in which I work is very intuitive, I do not sketch my paintings out beforehand and allow the piece to evolve organically. This allows me to reflect on how I am feeling in the moment and produce work that feels authentic to me. The piece often changes a number of times throughout the painting process. I use mistakes to my advantage and allow them to shape the piece, working with them rather than against them. As a result of this, often I do not know what the work will look like until it is finished.
flash warning, viewer discretion is advised.
This video piece is a visual comment on the themes of my work. As my practice is informed and shaped by my personal experiences, it begins to blur the lines between artwork and artist. Slowly we are becoming one, leading me to question- is my work an extension of myself or am I an extension of my work?
(press music icon for audio)
keeping my brain alive
acrylic
25 x 30 cm, canvas
​
got your nose!
acrylic
25 x 30 cm, canvas
stop looking at my breasts!
acrylic
25 x 30 cm, canvas
​
my medication is working, I promise
acrylic
25 x 30 cm, canvas
I dreamt about you last night
acrylic
30 x 40 cm, canvas
​
it's so loud in here
acrylic
30 x 40 cm, canvas
maybe this facemask will fix me
acrylic
30 x 40 cm, canvas
​
an unfortunately accurate
self portrait
acrylic
30 x 40 cm, canvas
self explanatory.
acrylic
30 x 40 cm, canvas
​
i actually don't know who i am without you
acrylic
30 x 40 cm, canvas
-an ode to anorexia.
acrylic
6ft x 4 ft, canvas
​