I enjoy working with portraiture, self-portraiture and the human figure because they lend themselves so well to expressing emotion. I mostly use drawing, watercolour and sculpture to create figures that convey a sense of intimacy. In my portraiture, I emphasize character by paying special attention to the facial expression of my subjects. By exploring these private emotional spaces I attempt to represent my sense of self.


As an introverted extrovert, I spend a lot of time in my personal space, I enjoy keeping myself company and rarely get bored when I'm alone. I have surrounded myself with the things I have made or found and transformed. My sculptures can be found in every nook and cranny of my room and my artwork on all the walls. Found objects like snail shells and bones are laid out shrine-like on every surface, and lately plants have started to crowd the windowsills. My room has always been my creative space, in it I find sanctuary that changes along with me over time. It is my place of comfort, a space where I get inspired to create, and being confined in it now hasn't really affected my feelings towards my room. 

My Integrative Activity project presents a pairing of self-portraits that explore two aspects of my self perception. The "Symbolic Self" addresses the relationship between the space surrounding me and my creativity. The "Emotional Self", a portrayal of my state of mind when creating artwork in my room. Through this diptych, I hope to create a connection between my emotional and creative spaces.

 

Olive Barkley-Pavlakos

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Link to “Creative Space”