Paintings

by Allison Massari.

I always start with the eyes.  I look into the mirror and paint my eyes.  The point is not to paint me - not to definitively make a self-portrait - because often the figure that emerges is a different person.  The point is to anchor the first strokes of the painting in something that is true.  Something that is deep, and human, and real, so that the rest of the work can unfold from that point. 

The eyes are a doorway.  And through that passage the viewer has the opportunity to be seen.  Through the vulnerability that I express and expose within my paintings the viewer has the chance to truly connect with the painting, and awaken to something deep or unexpressed inside themselves. 

Beyond the use of the figure in my paintings, I like to incorporate symbolism, surrealism, and allegory.  I use birds, fruit, and flowers – each one chosen specifically for it's special meaning.

In the painting ‘Under the Tree of Hope’, the tree is a peach tree – heavy with fruit.  The peach tree symbolizes abundance and the arrival of life’s opportunities and blessings.  In the painting, I sit under the tree - holding out a peach.  It is a symbol of my gratitude, and my desire to share my hope with the world.