Antoillier 2017

Mary Jane Ansell, born in 1972, painted "Antoillier" with what looks like oil paint, and you can tell that she has a real dedication to her craft by the way she’s building up the layers. There's a soft and muted colour palette, mainly whites and browns, which are used delicately and subtly. What's really something is the way she handles the texture of the subjects. The fabric of the girl’s blouse looks so light and airy, almost floating off her body, while the antlers behind her look rough, hard and almost brittle. I love the way these two textures play against each other and create a juxtaposition between soft and hard. It makes you wonder about the different elements that shape a person’s character. Her work reminds me of someone like Jenny Saville who also captures flesh so beautifully, but where Saville's work is often bold and expressive, Ansell's work is more restrained and controlled, almost whispering to you. Ultimately, it's these kinds of subtle exchanges and conversations between artists that keep art interesting.