The Waiting Painting

My paintings are characterized by the use of everyday people in everyday settings. The subjects have usually never sat for a painting before, so this is a new experience for them. I ask them to tell me a story of their youth, of nostalgia or some distant memory. The subject relaxes as their attention shifts. Their eyes focus no longer on the room, but on that diversion of memory. Daydream fascination takes over their gaze. What is conveyed becomes deeply personal. Regardless of where they may be sitting in the real world, their mind is on a journey elsewhere. This is the moment that is portrayed on the canvas, creating a sense of separation between the subject and their environment, as well as between the viewer and the painting. The story occurring outside the canvas is equally as important as what is depicted within. As each new showcase of work can vary in layout and orientation, every new configuration will yield a fresh and unexpected narrative. Although daily life is the subject matter, each painting is a celebration of the individual and the inner-wonder even they themselves might not see. Every story is beautiful. Each person is beautiful. The viewer will bring their own experience to the paintings, projecting their own thoughts on the people and events depicted. The viewer’s story joins with their interpretation of what the subject may have experienced, creating a truly unique and personal narrative between the painting and the viewer. The Waiting Acrylic on canvas | 24 x 30 inches Painted 2017 by Matt Cauley