Artist Grace Doyle
Congratulations to Grace Doyle who placed as a finalist in the 4th Edition!
Who are you?
I am a figurative oil painter. I grew up in Baltimore City, Maryland, and now reside and work in Baltimore County. In addition to being a professional artist, I am an Adjunct Professor at the Community College of Baltimore County, Coordinator at Towson Arts Collective, and I serve as Treasurer on the Board of Directors at Hamilton Arts Collective. My formal education began in high school at The Baltimore School for the Arts from which I graduated Salutatorian in 2006. I graduated from MICA in 2009 with Summa Cum Laude honors majoring in Painting and minoring in Art History. In 2019 I graduated from the University of Baltimore with a Master of Business Administration and now I am at Towson University pursuing a Master of Fine Arts. You could say I am an ambitious lifelong learner. At these various programs, I had amazing opportunities to study abroad in Italy, France, and with Odd Nerdrum in Norway. I value healthy living. My partner and I have a vegetable garden, butterfly garden, and native plant areas in our yard. These are often the subject of my paintings in the summer. I am also a huge animal lover. Pets I have had included hedgehogs, snakes, dogs, cats, and fish. At the moment though we only have a dog, three cats, and a freshwater fish tank. My pets also make appearances in my work. My paintings are a part of me and reflect my life and experiences.
“End of Time” (Winning Work)
By Grace Doyle
Oil on Linen
What inspired you to begin working in painting?
My dad was a huge influence. He studied and taught art. As a small child, he taught me how to draw and paint. After seeing my talent, he encouraged me throughout my youth and studies. Growing up, I loved to record the world around me and express my feelings. Not once did my parents question my interest in art or indicate that it was not a viable career to pursue. I was lucky in that respect and forever grateful for their unwavering support.
“Matt & Tilly in 2020”
By Grace Doyle
Oil on linen
Can you explain why you choose painting as a medium for your work and voice as opposed to others?
I was drawn to painting because of the process. Preparing the surfaces, building up the painting, sometimes sanding or scraping it back down, and working into it again. The paint moves and blends in a way I can manipulate on the canvas or panel. I enjoy that it stays malleable so that I can apply it, scrape or blend it. It is also direct. If there is an area of brilliant meaty red, I can load up a brush and make a mark. Representational painting is rooted in observation and allows the artist to make subjective decisions. When observing, I make associations or connections that I include in my painting that may not have been apparent to another. Using texture, color, edges, value, I as the artist am using my hand and eye to create something incredibly personal based on my sensibilities.
"“Reflection” (Self-portrait with Tilly)
By Grace Doyle
Oil on panel
Have you explored other mediums? If so, which and why did it draw you?
I also like drawing with pencil and charcoal. The immediacy of it is sometimes a welcomed break from oil painting. Color is eliminated so light and form become the key players. Pencil lends itself to beautiful contour lines and soft edges, depending on the mark-making. Charcoal is satisfying to use on its side to block out large areas of tone. I like the push and pull of charcoal, almost like paint. You can pull out the lighter areas and really manipulate the variety of edges on the paper.
No current title (Hainya) in progress
By Grace Doyle
Oil on canvas/linen blend
Can you discuss the inspiration behind “End of Time”?
"End of Time" investigates feelings of comfort and safety. Always alert to inspiration around me, I was drawn to the light and the figure on the couch. With life on hold during the pandemic, it felt comforting to take breaks to reset. I liked how the light abstracted the figure, subverting the face and creating the black and white shapes in the upper corner. The meaty fingers seemed to offer protection like a seatbelt. This also made sense to me because at this moment he was vulnerable. When viewed in person, the figure is larger than life. This scale, and the shallow space, make the composition feel secure.
No current title (parents) in progress
By Grace Doyle
Oil on linen
Can you tell us about the person in End of Time?
The person in the painting is my partner. During the pandemic, I found him napping on the couch with this beautiful fall light dancing across him. He did not know I took several reference photos that day and only discovered what I was up to when I showed him the painting I started. A consequence of being married to an artist!
“Peony June 2”
By Grace Doyle
Oil on panel
A Lot of people found new forms of creativity in lockdown, did this happen for you?
When my studio shut down for several months, I could not work on my large paintings. Instead, I switched to small panels. I wanted to work painterly, taking advantage of my materials, but I found myself tightening up. The portraits I made were detailed and sensitive. Looking back, it was therapeutic to slip into my work and get lost in the process of looking and embracing time.
“Peony May 22”
By Grace Doyle
Oil on panel
What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?
There are currently two studio figurative paintings I am working on. They both investigate psychology, color, light, and pattern. This summer, I am also painting in my flower and vegetable garden. I am making single-day paintings documenting and experiencing the different blooms over the spring and summer seasons. [1 image attached] I am about to start a series of sustained vegetable garden paintings to closely watch how it grows.
“Peony May 18”
By Grace Doyle
Oil on panel
Lastly, I would like to ask what advice you would give to your fellow artists/photographers?
Find time to devote to your practice on a regular basis. Build it into your life. The work needs to be done and it is difficult to find your stride unless you hold that creative space near.
To view more of Grace Doyle’s work