Stella and her Reflection 

Neale Worley made this striking painting, Stella and her Reflection, using oil on canvas. Worley has used quite traditional materials and methods in this painting. The canvas support and oil paints are well-worn conventions, but look closer at the surface of the painting and you’ll see something unique in the way these materials have been used. The textures and tones of the painting are really important in considering the artist's engagement with social context. Worley is not trying to create hyper-realism. Instead, the application of paint allows the viewer to appreciate the handmade nature of this painting, and the labor involved in its production. We might also note the setting for this composition. The intimate setting perhaps invites an emotional response to what is a carefully constructed scene. The artist invites us to reflect on the relationship between maker and model, as well as the relationship between the model and her reflection. By emphasizing these qualities of material and making, Worley’s work invites us to consider our preconceived notions of fine art, and to appreciate the labor and context that are a part of the work.