Professional Practices by Kayleigh Doyle

Artist StatementKayleigh DoyleMoments captured by old photographs are intriguing and mysterious.I was gifted boxes of old family photos from my grandmother and was inspired by these moments in my family from the past that I was unable to participate in.These photos were taken before my time and connects me back to my genealogy, Recreating these photographs in the form of prints and paintings allows me to inject my own experiences into that moment. My work , inspired by these photograph is also addressing the ideas of memory and nostalgia.I use both screen printing and oil painting to compose this body of work. Screen printing has a graphic nature I am drawn to, that complements the narratives I create. It also has a correlation to the photography because they both can exist in multiples.. On the other hand, I paint because paintings are often deemed precious and one of a kind. That cherished mentality is how one can relate to the mementos of their family memories.My work includes using a photo from my collection and abstracting the figure with objects from the image. I often replace vital body parts such as the face or torso with the most prominent object in the photo. These figures are placed in a surreal, abstract backgrounds using a colors pallet that is inspired by the time the photographs were taken.I am strongly influenced by my rural roots and family ties. I often use bluegrass or old country music in order to get me into the head space of the people in these photographs. I am inspired by the collage work of Genevieve Gaignard and her ability to alter these normal interiors with symbols of different time periods and locations. My intention is that the viewer can step into my shoes and experience these lovely moments in time and live through these nostalgic moments.