Humans & Place #2

This work is the second piece in my sustained investigation into how memory and relationships with places can shape identity. I made this to explore my connection with Sugarloaf. With this funny selfie of my friend and me, I wanted to show how landscapes can reflect relationships and a love for a place. The slope and building are not only a background but places I have come to love and hold shared memories. I wanted to explore with this specific piece how place shapes who we are and who we are with others, and how those relationships reflect onto the landscapes!

I used oil pastels for a vibrant and saturated coloring, allowing me to capture the reflections in the goggles and the blending in the jackets. I didn't use ordinary drawing paper but a cut-out section of a Maine atlas, an actual map of a region in northern Maine. I began with graphite sketches on the map and then went in with oil pastels and smudged and blended them for vibrancy. The map helps convey the memory in a real place and location, while the oil pastels portray more of the warmth and emotional component of this moment.

My process began with quick sketches in my notebook. I then chose this reference image I took last winter. The map I cut out already had a grid on it, so I created a grid on the online photo so the squares matched up. With this grid method, I could more accurately translate the scene square by square. I then went in with oil pastels and created large shapes and outlines. I blended and built depth and details in areas like the goggles and jacket folds. I went for a less realistic style to emphasize the memory and movement of this moment.