Courtney Kenny Porto
As an artist I am inspired by everyday life, by the frustrations and joys as well as its ironic and incongruous nature. My work depicts various situations, struggles and revelations that I have experienced. It communicates my philosophies, sense of humor, and idea of beauty. I believe that in order to be truly genuine artists must portray ideas and concepts that are close to their own heart. The truly powerful artists do this in such a way that others are also able to deeply relate. This is my objective.
A willingness to be vulnerable, raw, and truly authentic is difficult. We often work hard to hide who we really are and what we are thinking or feeling. For this reason, body language, faces, and eyes fascinate me. Consequently, I draw and paint eyes, faces, and nudes to depict in each subject what is authentic and what is not.
I am drawn to the human form, particularly the female form. The elegance, fluidity, and sincerity in the female figure captivate me. I consider myself to be a feminist and often depict these beliefs in my artwork - sometimes consciously, sometimes not. These pieces illustrate the social pressures, struggles, sexuality and poise of being a woman. They celebrate the unique characteristics and differences that make up the female gender.
One of the most influential revelations I have had thus far in my art career has been my discovery of yarn as a medium. Before discovering yarn, I had hit my first artists’ block. For the first time in my life, working in the studio had become a chore. I was feeling detached and needed a change. Working with yarn was the answer. I was suddenly connected again. I became “hooked”, and admittedly, slightly obsessed. It brought about new excitement, challenges, and the physicality I was looking for.
As for my aesthetic I am generally an analytical artist. Most of my work is meticulously planned and I take great pleasure when the end result matches the vision in my head. Most of my work contains little or no color. I find the abundance of color to be trivializing and empty. For me, it lacks the depth that gray-scale can offer. When I do use color, I use it sparingly – either in muted form or amongst a gray-scale majority. I work in a variety of styles and media. Though I am most recognized for my yarn paintings and realistic charcoal drawings, I also enjoy using acrylic and mixed media. While some criticize artists who stray from one style and medium, I oppose this type of categorical thinking. This school of thought relies on being able to place everyone and everything into a single classification, a realist or an expressionist. I believe artists, of all people, should allow themselves to break the rules and create outside the category.
As an artist I am inspired by everyday life, by the frustrations and joys as well as its ironic and incongruous nature. My work depicts various situations, struggles and revelations that I have experienced. It communicates my philosophies, sense of humor, and idea of beauty. I believe that in order to be truly genuine artists must portray ideas and concepts that are close to their own heart. The truly powerful artists do this in such a way that others are also able to deeply relate. This is my objective.
A willingness to be vulnerable, raw, and truly authentic is difficult. We often work hard to hide who we really are and what we are thinking or feeling. For this reason, body language, faces, and eyes fascinate me. Consequently, I draw and paint eyes, faces, and nudes to depict in each subject what is authentic and what is not.
I am drawn to the human form, particularly the female form. The elegance, fluidity, and sincerity in the female figure captivate me. I consider myself to be a feminist and often depict these beliefs in my artwork - sometimes consciously, sometimes not. These pieces illustrate the social pressures, struggles, sexuality and poise of being a woman. They celebrate the unique characteristics and differences that make up the female gender.
One of the most influential revelations I have had thus far in my art career has been my discovery of yarn as a medium. Before discovering yarn, I had hit my first artists’ block. For the first time in my life, working in the studio had become a chore. I was feeling detached and needed a change. Working with yarn was the answer. I was suddenly connected again. I became “hooked”, and admittedly, slightly obsessed. It brought about new excitement, challenges, and the physicality I was looking for.
As for my aesthetic I am generally an analytical artist. Most of my work is meticulously planned and I take great pleasure when the end result matches the vision in my head. Most of my work contains little or no color. I find the abundance of color to be trivializing and empty. For me, it lacks the depth that gray-scale can offer. When I do use color, I use it sparingly – either in muted form or amongst a gray-scale majority. I work in a variety of styles and media. Though I am most recognized for my yarn paintings and realistic charcoal drawings, I also enjoy using acrylic and mixed media. While some criticize artists who stray from one style and medium, I oppose this type of categorical thinking. This school of thought relies on being able to place everyone and everything into a single classification, a realist or an expressionist. I believe artists, of all people, should allow themselves to break the rules and create outside the category.
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