Kevin by Melanie Blackwell

‘Kevin’
Oil on linen
2010

Melanie’s intentions with ‘Kevin’ are to communicate to the viewer a feeling of intensity and intelligence she feels herself when around him. Kevin being a close and very loyal friend of the artist, when the correct image was found, Blackwell worked on conveying these themes of friendship and loyalty in a way she has grown to know best; her oils. Rich colours and beautiful highlights in the piece support the sentiments of the painting. Also the painting marks a growth in Blackwells larger works, the comfortability of large scale now working in harmony with an intense and intricate detail, something Blackwell has felt hard to achieve through time and experience restrictions. In comparison to other works, ‘Kevin’ also contains the use of light in a much more apparent way. Here the subject is forcefully lit an almost ethereal way, something that again adds and helps maintain the concept of sentimentality recurrent in her works.