Gaetanne Lavoie
I am working to express my personal philosophies of spirituality in relation to being human by developing compositions that project emotional contrast. Bright, vibrant, saturated colors, and feminine patterns combined with an often somber and introspective mood projected by the figure enhance the contradictions that I’ve experienced in seeking a different vibrational plane of existence. Through my experiences I have realized how important the contradictions are, in that they create lightning bolts of desire for the betterment of my life. Within the perceived ‘negative’ emotional state of being is beauty, to which the contradictions no longer fight against each other, but rather, work in harmony creating a most delectable state of being. My latest body of work is comprised of a series of figurative oil paintings on canvas, varying in size. I first develop a concept by identifying and isolating an emotional sentiment through writing prose and poetry. From there I visualize what a figure might be doing, how the figure might be positioned and what kind of expression they might have in order to project the specific emotion. Once I’ve roughly sketched out different possibilities, I work on compiling photo references of the figures, after which develop the space that the figure resides in. I have recently started using 3D animation programs, such as Maya, to develop the environments and lighting. The spaces vary depending on the emotional impact that I want to convey. I hope that my work can be not only seen but also felt, regardless of my specific intent. My concepts are jumping off points for which I hope dialogues to begin. It is always amazing and enlightening to hear about other people’s perceptions of my work and the viewer’s thoughts are most welcome.