Antiope 2018

Mary Jane Ansell made this painting, titled 'Antiope', using what looks like thin layers of oil paint to create a super smooth surface, almost like porcelain. There's a real emphasis on blending here, where the colours meet and mingle, creating subtle shifts in light and shadow. I'm drawn to the way Ansell renders textures, particularly the fur and the horns. You can almost feel the softness of the fur against the coolness of the horns. Notice how the fur drapes around the figure’s shoulders, framing her face and adding a touch of wildness to her otherwise composed demeanor. The colour palette is restrained, mostly muted greys and whites, which gives the whole painting a dreamy, ethereal quality. Ansell's work reminds me a bit of some of the Pre-Raphaelites, like Millais or Rossetti, in the way she combines realism with a touch of fantasy. But she's definitely doing her own thing, exploring themes of identity and transformation in a way that feels fresh and relevant. It's not about fixed meanings here, but about embracing the ambiguity and fluidity of art.