Figurative Guest Forager Paintings

Guest Forager: Kaitlyn of isavirtue– Austin Power

Hi Artsies!  I’m taking a tiny break for a few days, while we visit with some dear friends from Florida.  Please welcome fellow art lover and blogger, Kaitlyn Patience, who blogs and creates gorgeous stationery over at isavirtue!

Hello! My name is Kaitlyn. I blog at isavirtue and I will be guest posting on Artsy Forager today!

Jovie, watercolor on paper, 8.5×11

Not to be confused with the comedic British movie character, artist Austin Power  has made a name for himself as well. His unique portraits, which almost never depict an entire face, are at once eerie and intriguing.

Esther, watercolor on paper, 11×15

Emmanuel 2, watercolor on paper, 12×14

I would have guessed that the artist only paints those details that have made an impression on him. For example, I feel most connected to my husband’s eyes, and my best friend is known for her ski slope nose. So I assumed that the artist was simply recording the most intimate features on his friends and loved ones (As in his series “21 Portraits of People I Miss”). But the artist has a different train of thought than I.

Amy, watercolor on paper, 10×15

Jayme, watercolor on paper, 11×15

Power describes his reasoning for leaving out a nose, or a mouth, or a pair of eyes, “I am interested in showing the difficulty and discomfort in fully understanding a person. I leave my subjects incomplete to highlight their limitations, as well as my own inability to see the subject beyond the influence of myself.

Featured image is Self-Portrait by Austin Power. All images via the artist’s website

You Might Also Like

  • Kate
    June 6, 2012 at 1:36 PM

    Hi Kaitlin, nice to see you over here! These are awesome… I think what’s left out of a portrait is powerful, love it.

  • lisarpurcell
    June 13, 2012 at 5:13 PM

    These works are so beautiful and honest. It’s hard to find contemporary drawings like this which are so subtle yet express so much of the moment and the character of the subjects