„Rosa, Rosa is a collection of paintings of women plus a couple of still-lifes.
The people are not real, but are intended to function as portraits. They all
capture moments of stillness; the women are inactive, yet engaged.
“Karen” is engraved on the nametag of the woman with her hair piled neatly
on her head. She looks as though she is the guardian of the tapestry behind
her. A hint of a vase of lilies, a wall label, and wood paneling provide clues
to the under-funded museum where she might work.
In Leta, Esperanza, Luis a woman stands before a landscape consisting only
of the sunset. On either of her arms sits a parrot. The birds interact with
each other, while the woman looks directly out of the canvas. Her calmness
is in contrast with the liveliness of the birds. There is a suggestion of flight
not only for the parrots, but also for Esperanza.
She is wearing too much
green eye-shadow and a her face is framed by a cheap orange curtain through
which spare outside lights can be seen. In “Coffee and Kahlua”, the protagonist
looks out of the corners of her eyes. Maybe she is waiting for a friend in a
roadside diner. Or she might be anticipating her drink, or simply feeling
discomfort at being out alone.
The narratives in my paintings are mundane, but there is a hint of the surreal
hovering around the edges. The women are self-possessed and aware. Carefully
chosen clothing and backgrounds serve as clues, yet the details of their stories
are purposefully vague.“
Holly Coulis, October 2009