24 Works on Paper Artists: Marty Coleman

To give insight into the works included in the 24 Works on Paper exhibition, Ryan Pack has interviewed some of the participating artists about their work in the show. The exhibition is now at the Eleanor Hays Gallery at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa. It will continue there until October 14. 24 Works on Paper will continue to travel the state through August 2010.

Marty Coleman
For those of you who created portraits: Why have people inspired your piece? What is it about portraiture that interests you?
An artist must be courageous enough to admit what he or she loves. I love having a real person in front of me, finding out who they are and what they are about while I create the initial portrait, either photographically or drawing. I love the physical surface of that person’s face; their skin, pores, freckles, hair, wrinkles, color, scars, makeup, and more. I like to collage those portraits with their clothing, accessories, possessions or environment. The conversations with the person and the visual information I gather give me a starting point to portray who they are AND who they might be to others.

Are there any social implications in your piece?
The goal of the ‘Truth’ series is to have the viewer both see the person in the portrait and see themselves in their interpretation of the portrait. The question becomes what social, cultural and personal influences go into your thoughts? What does she look ‘like’? What statement do you think is true? Why do you think that? By answering those questions, and talking to others who are viewing the collage, you start to see how the individual and social background of the viewer is as much a determining factor in the meaning of the portrait as the person in the portrait.