Série Présence / Émergence
Présence/Émergence Présence/Émergence is a series of large format oil paintings (198 X 145 cm). In the Montreal Gazette’s article entitled, Top Solo Show in Town, the art critic Henry Lehmann observes: Part of Despins’ triumph in such works is her ability to play emotion, something quite ephemeral and having no tangible existence, off against sheer […]
Square Format Series
Square Format The small square paintings echoes what we see in the lower part of the large paintings. With this parallel series, I wanted to further continue my exploration of the perception of the body allowing me essentially to deepen a visual expression based on the felt experience of the body rather than our predominant […]
The Virgin Mary Series
The Virgin Mary Series This series began nameless, as I asked a model to take a relaxed standing pose on a stool. Since my studio is exposed to the northen light, the white walls became bluish in the resulting pictures. After completing the first painting of the series, I stood in front of this bluish […]
The Sea Inside Series
The Sea Inside series Diving in the eyes of another, we touch something so familiar that we have the strange sensation of diving into the depths of ourselves. In the stillness of the gaze, what is revealed is the essence of that which perceives in us… the sea inside. — Elaine Despins 2007 With great […]
Holding On Series
Holding On A boldly figurative artist, Despins has an established career under her belt, and a recognizable painterly style bolstered by exquisite execution. In her recent series of works, she focuses entirely on hands—the tired hands of an elderly woman. “These are my mother’s hands,” she opens her statement, and the viewer is instantly carried […]