JANA BRODKIN-SINGH
My artwork is a part of my identity. I have a disability, this disability is developmental which impacts me through the ability to process information, the ability to work with my hands fine motor skills, and coordination. I also see elements differently with my visual perception. As an artist, this impacts my art practice by taking me longer to process information, and taking me longer to learn proper techniques such as detail, and perspective. I am also limited to 2D work as 3D work is challenging because of my fine motor skills. I have been able to speak about my disability in both my portrait art, and my project I curated titled Dear Disability.
My disability appears in my portrait painting. I paint the people I am familiar with mostly females, with dark hair, and green eyes. I use myself as a model and some of my portraits tend to look like me. I have also based my portraits on friends and family members. Other people I have made up, by letting the creative process guide me in the creating of the portrait. The way I create portraits is not the traditional way of painting. Instead, I paint in an intuitive, abstract way. I am drawn to the period of abstract expressionism because this gives me the freedom to use bright colors influenced by artists such as Andy Warhol, and exaggerate forms the eyes, nose, and lips influenced by artists such as Picasso. I am not just an artist making art to put on the wall, I am creating art about story, and experience. The story is about the experience of having a disability, and educating the public about art and disability.
As an artist, I want to educate the public about disability art, and raise awareness to the challenges people with disabilities face. I am an emerging artist, I need to exhibit my work professionally, show my work for sale, and sell my work. I also wish to show my work outside of Calgary to gain a larger audience to see my work.
My disability appears in my portrait painting. I paint the people I am familiar with mostly females, with dark hair, and green eyes. I use myself as a model and some of my portraits tend to look like me. I have also based my portraits on friends and family members. Other people I have made up, by letting the creative process guide me in the creating of the portrait. The way I create portraits is not the traditional way of painting. Instead, I paint in an intuitive, abstract way. I am drawn to the period of abstract expressionism because this gives me the freedom to use bright colors influenced by artists such as Andy Warhol, and exaggerate forms the eyes, nose, and lips influenced by artists such as Picasso. I am not just an artist making art to put on the wall, I am creating art about story, and experience. The story is about the experience of having a disability, and educating the public about art and disability.
As an artist, I want to educate the public about disability art, and raise awareness to the challenges people with disabilities face. I am an emerging artist, I need to exhibit my work professionally, show my work for sale, and sell my work. I also wish to show my work outside of Calgary to gain a larger audience to see my work.
