Website: http://www.eckablaire.com
I have always had a deep connection to nature. Growing up, I spent most of my time outdoors examining plants, insects, and wildlife. I felt equal to, fulfilled and understood by nature; quite the opposite of how I felt around other people—an introvert from a young age.
As an artist, I react to the weight of memory to examine the delicate relationship between humankind and the natural world, as well as my relationship to people by using nature as a distinct lens to observe them with. I focus on contemplative moments where figures are immersed within the environment. My subjects are often physically absorbed within their natural surroundings in acts such as swimming, climbing, and walking. They may appear obscured, framed, dwarfed, or suspended by the natural elements. This serves to reinforce how they are part of their surroundings, in a quiet effort to acknowledge that without nature we—artist, subjects, and audience—would cease to exist altogether.
Through layers of paint and pastel, I use color and texture to create atmospheric scenes. My focus on the vibrant organic palette found in these environments celebrates how we’re enveloped in a world of incredible color, yet we are often desensitized to it as we’ve become separated from the natural world around us due to the distractions of our daily lives.
I create from my own references, which are captured on walks or outings with friends. My comfort comes from lagging behind them, as I often feel overwhelmed being part of a group of people.
Through my work I can honor and examine my personal relationships, my relationship to nature, and better relate to my past experiences, by becoming an observer, a filter, and a translator.
2009 BFA, Painting. Hartford Art School / University of Hartford, Connecticut