Tangled 

Sarah Joncas' painting, *Tangled*, presents a portrait executed in the smooth, almost airbrushed style of contemporary figurative painting. It's important to remember that such an effect requires both skill and labor. Countless hours go into creating such perfectly blended surfaces with paint, and the choice of such a high-finish aesthetic speaks to a larger culture of digital imagery that prizes seamlessness. The artist also incorporates graphic elements into the composition, like the stylized leaves and branches that wind around the figure's head. These flat planes of color are reminiscent of illustration, and suggest a playful mixing of different visual languages. But don't be fooled; the artist's expertise in oil paint is what really brings this vision to life. Ultimately, *Tangled* suggests the rich possibilities that emerge when traditional techniques meet contemporary sensibilities. It invites us to look closely at how images are made, and what they communicate about our world.