Chloe McEldowney, Effulgence of the Stranger
April 2014– June 30th 2014
Through our scrutiny and glorification of human appearance, our ability to truly see is obscured. I’ve worked to reinvent my vision. To see what is hidden. To hide what is obvious. This quest for rediscovery has ultimately fueled my creation of figurative art.
The essence of my work stems from my family background. Out of our house, my parents run a maternity home and outreach program, welcoming in people from unfortunate situations. Pregnant teenagers, abused mothers, neglected children, teen moms, and recovering addicts have dnew family members, my interest in relationships and human experience ignited. My art continues to question the experiences and struggles of humanity on an individual level.
My quest for observation has forced me to take risks. After years of working from models in class, I realized that I had to take my ambitions out into the real world. Yearning to intertwine my passions for relationships and figurative study, I began to find models in less obvious places. While interning in California, I spent my free time wandering the streets of San Francisco, asking homeless people to sit for portraits and engage in conversation. Through these portraits, my art evolved into more than simply a figurative study. I learned to weave emotion, desperation, and hope into my mark. I began to see new value in my color palette and see beyond the surface of the breathing canvas.
Chloe is an artist from the small town of Russia, OH. Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Dayton, she currently paints and lives in Dayton, Ohio. Chloe has exhibited her artwork across the state of Ohio, as well as in California and Massachusetts.