Shannon 2020

Monica Ikegwu painted "Shannon," with oil, no date is listed. The tones are primarily blue, a cool harmony that feels calm, but also intense, because, well, the whole thing is blue. It gives me the feeling of being underwater. Looking at the surface, I can see the artist has used thin layers of paint to give the impression of light falling across fabric. Check out the way light hits the folds of the fabric behind the figure, and notice how this same quality is captured in the denim of the overalls. It’s so smooth, almost like glass in some areas. That contrast between the hard surface of the denim and the softness of the skin makes me think of Alice Neel, who always managed to bring out the humanity of her subjects, even with just a few brushstrokes. In the end, that is what makes art so interesting, it leaves a lot open to interpretation.