Artist's Statement

 My artwork is a visual correspondence to the people who influence me emotionally. Through the emotions, courtship, pain and sorrow: my mixed media artwork creations are seen through variable shades of black and white or limited pallet of color

 My visual setting(s) are a vacant stage, chairs, empty rooms or on a bed. This represents being alone, lost, in limbo or the desire to be with someone. Art is the right tool for me to express my thoughts, emotions, good or even bad. Writing is a tool which I find very difficult to express my concerns, emotions or concerns. My images are sometimes doors ways; they may seem to resemble body parts, Cathedrals or a vacant space. I work when I have found the right muse or a social issue; of course “woman’ is always a major source of influence on my work.

 The brush, pencil, pen markings work together creating the importance of mood, effect and texture. Colors are distractive but helpful at times to cause a certain mood or affect. Should certain subject matters need color; Cadmium Red, Prussian blue or Hooker Green are needed. I believe sometimes certain colors distract the viewer, me, the artist and cause obstacles. By gouging into the paint represent physical emotional pain, anger, frustration or emotional scares. Love and anger; two words that are intertwined in my work.

 I compare my approach (not by choice) to two European painters, Edward Munch and Egon Schiele; they are major influences to my work. Both men were overwhelmed by their muse, as I have been many times and continue to be. I am determined to create artworks that will never be dated and will remind us again that emotions are what creates art.  

Shiva Subramaniam Pillay
Artist