Ellie Bacchus, Painting

Recording

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Artist Statement

My paintings explore themes of memory, nostalgia, childhood, and the difficulties of growing up. In the works I present a personal history, with some of my own belongings starring in the compositions alongside universal objects. A well-loved Beanie Baby lays next to an empty pack of birth control pills. A cherubic porcelain figurine is jarringly placed next to a Suboxone wrapper. I am interested in the false dichotomy between childhood and adulthood. In truth, these lines are often blurred due to premature childhood exposure to the harsh realities of the adult world, through the media or a direct lived experience. Instead of a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood, the transitions through life can leave a messy trail behind on the psyche of the still forming individual. In my paintings, areas of thickly applied paint jut off of the surface and contrast with thin drippy rendered objects that nearly disappear into the background. Some items are believable, and others are rendered with a childlike crayon scribble. These conscious formal decisions serve as a visual exploration of memory. Our memories of our childhood and adolescence evolve as we age. When we reflect on the past, do we tend to remember the good through rose-colored glasses, or do we focus more on the traumatic? This series is an attempt to see both sides at once; the good and the bad memories, the forgotten and remembered moments, the innocent and mature, all through a carefully curated archive of personally symbolic objects.

Image: Grieving Springtime. Oil and mixed media on panel / 48 x 48 in.