I Am Woman 2011

Dave Macdowell's painting, "I Am Woman," seems to have come into being through layers of intention, with a colour palette that's both bold and slightly unsettling, like a dream you can't quite shake off. I can only imagine what it might have been like for Macdowell, wrestling with these exaggerated forms. Did he feel like he was on a tightrope? He's got this exaggerated cartoonish character in the foreground, yet the background seems to be filled with a more subtle chaos. The paint application seems intentionally flat in places, while the highlights and shadows are carefully rendered to create a sense of depth and drama. The knives are a nice touch. Are they just a visual shock or a commentary on the situation? This reminds me of other artists who play with dark humor, using absurdity to explore complex emotions. It’s like Macdowell is saying, "Here's a painting that is what it is, make of it what you will." And maybe that's the point. Art is always an ongoing conversation across time.