Kibbles and Nips 2021

Camilla d'Errico created this painting called 'Kibbles and Nips' sometime in the twentieth century, and it looks like she worked the image up in thin layers. The figure has this massive fox draped on her head like a fancy hat; I wonder if d'Errico was interested in the relationship between weight and lightness? The fox is rendered with so many soft strokes, whereas the girl’s features are carefully delineated and hyper-real. The effect is eerie, like a dream. It reminds me of other contemporary painters who work in a similar vein, like Mark Ryden or Marion Peck. Each brushstroke builds upon the last, creating a luminous field of colour and texture. These painters teach me to look beyond what’s depicted and instead to feel my way through the image, allowing for new interpretations. Ultimately, painting is about having a conversation with the artist.