Judy Clarkson
Painted during the Covid lockdown, this painting examines the difficulties engendered by being isolated from others and the traumas and mental health issues that became magnified during this period. The model is my husband, who has battled depression for many years. The reiteration of despair into seeming infinity speaks both of the pain of loneliness, trapped within a self-reflecting echo chamber, and the feeling of being unable to see a way to escape the weight of depression. The figures stand within a sea, linking them with formless emotion and mirroring their respond.
Originally from Harrogate, N. Yorks, I moved to London to study Fine Art at St Martin's School of Art. I've explored various creative media such as literary fiction and short film making, but have always engaged in life drawing, and my fascination with portraying the human figure has become the focus of my art. Prizes include the Platinum award in The Cancer Feminine Competition 2022, the Judges Choice Prize in the Chaiya Art Awards 2021 and winner of the Holly Bush Emerging Woman Painter Prize 2018.
Isolated Selves
oil on canvas
60 x 48 inches