The Devil Is A Woman 

Troy Brooks painted *The Devil Is A Woman* with oils, likely applying many thin layers of pigment to achieve this luminous effect. The artist has chosen a traditional fine art material, but the way he handles it is all his own. Just look at the almost airbrushed quality, the unreal perfection of the figures, and the surreal composition. The woman’s form blends seamlessly with the swirling smoke from her skull-shaped pipe. Brooks obviously takes pleasure in this virtuoso performance. In art history terms, he’s walking a tightrope here. Oil painting has always been associated with the establishment. But Brooks’ hyper-stylized approach, reminiscent of fashion illustration and graphic novels, seems to simultaneously embrace and critique high art. He is exploring the boundaries of labor, politics, and consumption through his method. Ultimately, Brooks uses his incredible skill to question conventional definitions of beauty, and to create an unsettling, atmospheric image that lingers in the mind. It makes you wonder, what are the boundaries between craft, design, and fine art anyway?