Nova

Nicole Sleeth
Victoria, BC

Size

65" x 45"

Medium

Oil on linen, unframed

In this work, I strive for a type of honesty that lives in the space between representational rendering and expressionism. Painted skin becomes tactile; two dimensions create the illusion of a third, a static image takes on movement. It is an exercise in duality: abstract vs. representational, of traditional vs. contemporary, specific vs. universal. By shedding possible attachment to representational qualities, can the painting become more honest, more piercing, and even more real? The purpose is not to achieve equilibrium in duality but rather to continually test its balance.

Nova

Nicole Sleeth
Victoria, BC

About the artist
About the artist

Nicole Sleeth
Victoria, BC

Nicole Sleeth’s work centers on the female figure as an exploration of power, connection, and lived experience. The similarity of oil paint to flesh and a desire to focus exclusively on the figure drew her to painting nudes. While holding dear the legacy of the masters, Sleeth privately committed to defy those very traditions through her focus on the female nude. The public evidence of this vision is in the paintings themselves. Sleeth’s award-winning work is in private collections in Canada, the United States, and England. Her practice is based in Victoria, BC.

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