Barbara Rachko

Statement

The "Domestic Threats" series of paintings (on sandpaper) and photographs uses cultural objects-Mexican masks, carved wooden animals, paper mache figures, and toys-in a lively blend of reality and fantasy. I use these objects not only as surrogates for human actors, but as potent symbols: an amalgam of childhood memories, half-forgotten dreams, and images encountered in literature, pre-columbian art, trips to central Mexico, and cinema (especially German silent films and movies directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles). The series has been evolving for more than a decade. The imagery is autobiographical; although very personal, it is rich in universal associations.

All of the pastel paintings and photographs use as a backdrop either a 1932 Sears house in Virginia or a West Village (Manhattan) apartment. These are places where I live so the realties of my everyday surroundings are an essential part of the work. Director-style, I select and arrange a group of objects, using tungsten lighting to create dramatic, mysterious and unexplainable shadows. The setup is left in place for several weeks. During that time I work out placement, lighting, design, and a narrative about the interaction that is occurring between the "actors."

When everything is just so, I shoot two color negatives with a 4" x 5" view camera. Using a 20" x 24" photograph for reference, I create a pastel painting of 58" x 38 " in size (normally a three to four month process). I also make smaller works, but prefer the greater challenge of working large. Blending with my fingers, I painstakingly apply dozens of layers of soft pastel onto acid-free sandpaper. This technique achieves rich textures and vibrant colors.

It is my intent to create a painting that is more exciting, colorful, animated, and realistic than the photograph. Extremely labor intensive, each pastel painting is a unique work of art with considerable interpretive development over the photograph.

	Painting
	Scene Thirteen: Bathroom Pastel painting on sandpaper 26" x 20"	Statement The "Domestic Threats" series of paintings (on sandpaper) and photographs uses cultural objects-Mexican masks, carved wooden animals, paper mache figures, and toys-in a lively blend of reality and fantasy. I use these objects not only as surrogates for human actors, but as potent symbols: an amalgam of childhood memories, half-forgotten dreams, and images encountered in literature, pre-columbian art, trips to central Mexico, and cinema (especially German silent films and movies directed by Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles). The series has been evolving for more than a decade. The imagery is autobiographical; although very personal, it is rich in universal associations. All of the pastel paintings and photographs use as a backdrop either a 1932 Sears house in Virginia or a West Village (Manhattan) apartment. These are places where I live so the realties of my everyday surroundings are an essential part of the work. Director-style, I select and arrange a group of objects, using tungsten lighting to create dramatic, mysterious and unexplainable shadows. The setup is left in place for several weeks. During that time I work out placement, lighting, design, and a narrative about the interaction that is occurring between the "actors." When everything is just so, I shoot two color negatives with a 4" x 5" view camera. Using a 20" x 24" photograph for reference, I create a pastel painting of 58" x 38 " in size (normally a three to four month process). I also make smaller works, but prefer the greater challenge of working large. Blending with my fingers, I painstakingly apply dozens of layers of soft pastel onto acid-free sandpaper. This technique achieves rich textures and vibrant colors. It is my intent to create a painting that is more exciting, colorful, animated, and realistic than the photograph. Extremely labor intensive, each pastel painting is a unique work of art with considerable interpretive development over the photograph. Click here to view chronology
© All copyrights to these artworks are retained by the artist. These images may not be reproduced without the artist's written permission. Please respect their rights.
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Painting

Statement

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