SYDNEY HUSTON
@sydh.artMy paintings provide a way to materialize past, present, and even hypothetical versions of myself. Exploring these versions as characters in an illustrative style is a way to step back and see “her” for what she is, was, or could have been—no matter how cringy it may be.
An illustrative and cartoony approach to painting allows for a logical progression in character creation. As a result, I use self-imposed formal “rules” that determine how I depict these various versions of self. Noses are simplified into rhombuses, pupils into ovals, and ears into half-circles. Colors have a formulaic and dependent relationship, and cel-shading creates distinct edges between light and shadow. This simplistic imagery serves as an accessible way to relate to the painting while clearly defining each self.
These works represent a vast array of characters, and I aim to depict and appreciate each of them. For my past selves, I emphasize specific moments to find the humor in uncomfortable situations such as that represented in I reached nirvana on Eugene’s bathroom floor, in which the figure curls around a toilet in a highly exaggerated way. The hypothetical selves allow me to indulge in “what if” scenarios. As a nearly life-sized depiction, Forever 17 creates a tangible visualization of an incorporeal self. In the characters that represent my present self, I am challenged to show similar levels of compassion. In the 1” x 1” recreations of recent selfies, I consider every detail in an effort to take extreme care in my treatment of the surface.
Through this dedicated practice, my paintings force me to reconsider repressed memories, imagined futures, and current experiences as a 23-year-old in 2024.
Selfies: Series 3, 2024.
Acrylic on claybord. Each 1 in x 1 in.
Acrylic on claybord. Each 1 in x 1 in.
Acrylic on canvas. 70.5 in x 34.5 in.
Acrylic on panel. 8 in x 10 in.