CP Artist Carolyn Bain

SHOWCASE GALLERY

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Email Carolyn Bain
December 2010 Featured Artist – An Interview with Carolyn Bain
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Artist’s Biography/Statement

Untitled

Although I have always loved art and had experimented with acrylics and oils, real continued involvement in the process came to me rather late in life. Several years ago, Gordon Webster, dear friend and source of inspiration, gave me a sketch book. As I filled the pages with – among other things – “strange faces”, I was one day startled to realize that three eyes could serve two faces, and six eyes could serve five faces, etc., and the concept of what I call my “multiples” was born. At this stage I had not used any colour, and when I felt ready to take that step, coloured pencil seemed the obvious choice because of its affinity with the paper in my sketchbook. Also, my daughter, Erica Walker, is a coloured pencil artist, so I had a supply of Prismacolor pencils readily available. I soon moved to other surfaces, but coloured pencil remains my medium. My favourite brand is Faber Castell (polychromos), with Derwent (coloursoft) a close second.

I love the control that the newly sharpened points give. Layering the pigment, using the lightest touch, building up to the desired colour, is for me pure pleasure. Never having had any formal instruction, there are many surprises resulting from my unschooled approach. Some are good, some are not, but I try to learn from each one. Currently my self-imposed task is to infuse these faces with the gamut of human emotion so that viewers can see themselves as their eyes travel back and forth across the work.

I am really grateful to my daughter, not only for her pencils, but for the love and support and encouragement she has given me during this latest endeavour in my life.