Melancholic Shut-In 2017

Daria Theodora made this beautiful drawing, ‘Melancholic Shut-In’ with lines and colors that feel both precise and dreamy. It's like she's inviting us into a secret world, one made of feelings. Look at the way she uses line to create depth, and the limited color palette. The flatness pushes forward and pulls backward. The girl’s expression is hidden, and yet the whole scene sings with a kind of tender sadness. It’s as if the texture of the paper itself is breathing. I find myself drawn to the crow resting on the girl’s lap; the sharp beak and claws are so vivid against the soft folds of her dress. The piece reminds me a little of Aubrey Beardsley, but more vulnerable. It celebrates art as a space where we can feel everything, even the stuff that's hard to name.