I approach the canvas as a sculptor, carving away what is not needed while maintaining the illusion of realism.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
Oil painting is my favorite medium because it allows me to express this visual language with depth and nuance. Its richness—the slow drying time, the subtle blending, the luminosity—gives me the freedom to build images that carry both realism and emotion. Oil paint lets me say things that words never fully could.
Where do you find inspiration?Inspired by humanity and its complexity, I use peripheral vision to simplify what I perceive, focusing on the emotional intensity of a single detail—an eye, a mouth—while the rest dissolves into abstraction. The work reflects not direct observation, but what is felt without looking. I call my approach emotional iporealism.
What would you do with $25,000?I would use the funds to purchase additional art supplies—particularly oil paints and larger canvases—to amplify my voice through work at an expanded scale.
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