- City
- Alcove
- Booth
- Nathan Phillips Square
Booth 191
Janice Moorhead
My current portrait series, titled, “Idiosyncrasies of Humans”, began in 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic. It explores irony and humor in the world in which we find ourselves today.
I mention the pandemic because it is clearly responsible for my vision. A visual experience no longer expansive, but limited to the confines of my home, my inspiration comes largely from YouTube videos as well as news feeds on my phone.
My portraits are not of anyone I know. They are strangers grabbed off the internet, chosen not randomly, but specifically for what they convey about our present time in history. They are a compilation of many images. I do a lot of work on the computer before I even begin a painting.
I also like to incorporate text, as it employs contemporary vocabulary and adds another layer of meaning. It engages the viewer in a more profound way and keeps their attention a little longer. Text can also be viewed simply as “mark-making” and enjoyed aesthetically. Elements of abstraction are also hugely important and reflect my need for spontaneity and the unexpected. Represented by Gallery St. Laurent Plus Hill in Ottawa.
