Misha Sky 2015

Curator: Felice House painted this oil on canvas titled “Misha Sky” in 2015. Editor: The cool tones really dominate, it's a portrait bathed in blues and greys, with this sort of diffused light suggesting…almost a melancholic introspection. What can you tell me about it? Curator: House's work often explores themes of female identity within a broader socio-political context. You know, challenging traditional representations of women in art history. Her work is pushing back. Editor: Right, and this feels very contemporary while still gesturing toward more classical portraiture. The paint application looks quite layered, like she built up the image over time, those fleeting strokes of red feel almost like an interruption to an otherwise tranquil scene, drawing your attention back to the materials, the act of creation. Curator: I agree. This could very easily read as another example of female passivity—but House imbues Misha with an internal strength. Look at the upward tilt of her chin, the composed expression. She is not merely an object to be looked at, but a subject experiencing and processing the world. It really engages in the discourse about the public and private experiences. Editor: Definitely, and thinking materially, oil paint allows for such luminosity and depth. Those subtle shifts in tone around her face – it's all very skillful. One can sense a mastery and careful consideration in material execution. Curator: The artist is definitely working with a history of Romanticism as well. It’s this portrait placed within this wild natural landscape of sky as background... We must recognize the tradition, how portraiture has served very specific socio-economic needs over centuries. It’s fascinating what this portrait attempts to do as a symbol. Editor: To think of the production too, that a painter painstakingly crafted those skies, layer after layer. Oil painting in particular is always a game of skill with the right medium and materials at hand to allow such precise form of creation and labor. Curator: True. It all encourages us to think critically about how women are seen and see themselves in our modern landscape. Editor: I agree entirely; that emphasis on process and skill makes "Misha Sky" a remarkable example of both technical artistry and thoughtful consideration.