Honorable Mention: Pauline Roche, California
Pauline Roche, Checking the Nets (Alexandria, Egypt), oil, 30 x 40.
What inspired your winning entry? I was fortunate to take a trip to Egypt recently. I was attracted to the strong shapes of the boats and figures in the foreground, and the contrast to the calm, soft shore in the background. The scene inspired me not only because of its light and beauty but also because it gave a connection to the past, as though this kind of scene could have been present in the same spot hundreds of years ago.
Where did you study art? In the studios and ateliers of practicing artists in Melbourne, Australia, I received extensive training in traditional painting. After moving to the United States, I undertook some studies in portraiture at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and I also went to the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. Over the years I have also attended plein-air workshops in Arizona and California.
How would you describe your style? I aim for an impression with a high degree of truthfulness. I strive for accuracy in shapes and values. I like my work to also show some spontaneity. And I hope to reveal the sensitivity I feel for the subject.
What is one thing most people don’t know about you? Perhaps that I grew up in Australia, and I have worked as a scientist doing research in the physiology department of an Australian university.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Even if you have preferred subjects or become known for a particular subject, paint a variety of subject matter. Each stimulates and inspires the artist differently.
What is the most meaningful recognition you have received for your artwork? I entered Australia’s premier exhibition for traditional painting and figurative art. As a young artist I was delighted just to be juried into this prestigious show, but when my large self-portrait won second prize, it was a turning point for me. At that moment, I knew I would be a painter for the rest of my life.
What are your goals for the future? I want to continue to grow as an artist. Last year I had a major one-woman show at Newbury Fine Arts in Boston. I look forward to preparing for another solo show in the next year or two.
What galleries represent your work? Newbury Fine Arts, Boston, MA; Scottsdale Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ.
Featured in the December 2012 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
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