The Swans 2018

Zoe Hawk seems to have meticulously crafted this painting of girls and swans, likely with oil or acrylic, and I’m immediately taken by the uncanny, dream-like feeling of it. I imagine Zoe starting with a light sketch, then slowly building up layers of colour to conjure this odd scene. What was she thinking as she painted each girl, each swan, each ripple in the water? I see the slight sheen on the swans, achieved with careful brushwork, reflecting the world around them. The girls' pale skin and slightly vacant expressions give them a surreal quality. There’s something familiar about this tableau, it reminds me of Balthus. The figures are rendered with such precision, yet the overall effect is one of mystery and unease, of childhood friendships on the cusp of something uncertain. This dream-like scene feels like a collective creation, where the artist and viewer are both invited to project our own experiences and interpretations.