Emily, aged 17
Pastel and acrylic paint on canvas
The Blank Canvas is more than just a fancy metaphor people use to make a statement. It is the feeling of being hit in the stomach when you are looking at a blank canvas
and your mind is just… This composition captures that emotion and turns it on its head. While the gentle pastel hues do not shout at you, they also do not enable you to mope. It is like a kind reminder from a buddy who knows you are about to give up but will not let you go.
There is a subtle homage to Vincent van Gogh. Do you recall how a blank canvas sits calmly behind him in his Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear? For years, people have pondered what it signifies. In all honesty, it can be both hope and creative block. The use of pastel and acrylic paint unconsciously interlaced on my canvas is an homage to Van Gogh’s style of work. Potentially a replica of what the canvas may have looked like if we were to lift it out of the portrait and lay it in front of us. In this ‘blank canvas’, I imagine the struggle of every artist in trying to create original, inspiring pieces without motivation or whilst struggling with their mental health. This piece encapsulates a state of wellbeing; you can find yourself within the piece.