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Contents Copyright © 2003-2010
JHINA ALVARADO
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Artist Statement
I am a full-time algebra and geometry teacher trying to make it as a working artist. I use oil paints and encaustic wax to depict the untold stories from long forgotten photographs onto large wood panels.
When describing my work, I like to call myself a figurative, abstract artist since I use recognizable images, drawn or painted realistically, that I then use in an abstracted way; cropping, enlarging portions, isolating parts of the image and having them “float” on an abstract or empty background.
In my nature series, the fragile, yet chaotic side of nature is depicted through drawings of gently falling leaves, brittle twigs, and twisted tree trunks set between layers of wax and color. Conflicted emotions become apparent as the sharp edges of branches and gentle curves of the leaves intertwine creating a tension between the forms. The layers of encaustic wax, which bury shapes, are used to soften the lines and create a dreamlike state where emotions exist as memories or dreams.
In my new series of work, titled “Forgotten Memories”, I use oil paints and encaustic wax to depict the untold stories from long forgotten photographs. These images are painted on wood panels using a considerable amount of negative space with the images cropped in awkward positions, creating a sense of unbalance. White areas from the images blend with the negative spaces of the panel to create tension and abstraction of each delineated line. Eyes are blocked out to ensure anonymity while also adding a sense of mysteriousness to each person portrayed. The paintings are then covered in wax to add an antique photo look and dream-like feel to the pieces.
