A composition of soft, feminine colors against harsh reds and distressed black. A face lingering in the chaos, with distant colors forming behind.
Upcoming Books and Tom Antona Appreciation Post
My debut book of poetry; The Devil Bakes A Cake For His Wife is scheduled to be released in late '25. Meanwhile, my book Mood, with a foreword by Tom Antona (of Alice Donut), is to be announced v. soon (also within 2025).
Both books are something that I have put a tremendous amount of work into, with Mood having been in the making for over 4 years and The Devil Bakes A Cake For His Wife, having been in the making for over 2 years. On and off I have had a great desire to write but have also been dealing with deeply personal things. Very big hugs to my husband, for encouraging me to keep with it, despite me feeling somewhat overwhelmed, whenever I revisit things and write longform but also for understanding my intent behind Mood.
This is also a Tom Antona appreciation post. Seriously this guy, who is a fierce pure-talent, is forever cool and someone who has my respect. To be given the privilege to talk in depth, about art and passion and beyond - tons of conversations, with an artist, whom I admire means so much to me. Words do not cut it. Like, at all. Tom has basically been a mentor to me. His sincere words have helped me a great deal, when I wasn't so sure and more than that, inspired me to keep going. When someone can do that, talk to you, as an artist, and revive in you this sense of confidence in what you are doing, is nothing short of amazing and I am so grateful. He also owns multiple pieces of my art (pieces that I always assumed would not find homes) and that in and of itself is deeply heartwarming. Trying to capture my gratitude in words fails me because it is more than what I could put words on. People who know me know that I don't expect much, especially in the way of anyone giving a damn about what I do. So it means alot to me. It's a huge deal to me. Props to my husband for putting us in touch, ages ago. And Tom, you already know how much this means to me but seriously, thank you so, so much.
Realism
Progress on (untitled as of yet) Realism. I have no desire for realism, unless speaking about sincerity. There is a kind of beauty in honesty that enriches art. But traditional realism? No. I used to adore it, some time ago. I was so fascinated in capturing the exactness, the essence of a person. For a while, I was very into it. But things change. I find abstract portraiture far more intimate. There is no comparison. Intimacy in art, to me, is very important. If a person were to paint someone, would they prefer them to capture their reflection or would they prefer them to go deeper....and paint who they truly are, based on outward mannerisms, the way that they speak, miscroscopic traits and that which they are unaware of - signatures of who they are beneath the surface? I would prefer the latter. I would prefer to paint someone as they are, from what I see rather than a surface depiction.
unbound
Before I began painting more common elements of surface nature, I made art that many would refer to as 'dark'. Admittedly, perhaps on the surface that is how it appeared but I am of the mind that beneath any given surface lies deeper meaning — things that you cannot see right away. Sometimes you become so consumed with your art, that you forget the eyes outside of it. If one knew the artist's intention behind a piece, things would be clarified; meaning would become clearer and shapes would not look so...misshapen. But art is a mystery. Not so long ago, something happened and it changed things and shook me up pretty badly. While outside, upset under a tree, trying to get a grip and failing, I remembered what I had said in an interview; ''An artist has to break to grow''. You should be careful what you say, because I ate my f/cking words and found them mocking me. The more that I wept, the harder those words laughed at me. So...while in the depths, through trying to mask and avoid, circling the drain of being lost, running from the things which would not let me sleep, eat or think — I tried to paint things which were the opposite of how I felt; simpler things. Meaningful, yes but simple compared to what I commonly painted before all of this happened. It was too much all at once. Spiraling. I tried to gather myself and began painting a fusion of plants, landscapes and glowing shadows. After a while of painting these things, I began to feel a familiar kind of hunger. What I did not realize, through doing this — through repressing things, was that I was restraining myself in painting. I know the foundation of my art. I know what's behind painting. I also know that you cannot run from who you are. How can one fully express themselves if they are locking part of themselves away? What is art, if there is restraint? I think in modern times, it has become rule to put a word on things. Or to be just one thing. Or don a label that encompasses you as a human being. Impossible. In reality, I find that humans are the ''et cetera'' of nature. So, art must remain unbound.
'Sex' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| An intense interpretation of carnal and animalistic instincts. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/sex-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-8x10-framed |
*edit* As a female artist, I am sometimes made to feel ashamed or uncomfortable whenever I paint things of this nature, especially concerning things involving sex. It's like, if I paint it - then i'm somehow wrong, unclean or have created something offensive. I am not twelve. I have earned the right to paint whatever I please. If one takes offense, then that is a choice and with this in mind, one should also make the proactive choice of looking away, while understanding that things outside of them do not have to mirror them. Art is a freedom to express. An artist should never be dictated or controlled by audience. What sort of artist only paints things that others will approve of? That sounds pointless and sterile. How could anyone find satisfation in this? It is like eating a cookie made of styrofoam. It can also be frustrating when I paint something and it is taken the wrong way, the worst way or my intention is completely misunderstood. Obviousy, in art, that is a constant, sometimes it's a beautiful thing, given that no one has control over someone else's perception. Sometimes it can be somewhat annoying, when brash assumptions are made. As a woman, when I paint things of this nature it does not mean that I am akin to some sex starved nymphomaniac or that I am sending subliminal messages to a hypohetical audience or that I seeksome form of pseuco-validation. It almost becomes sexist but I struggle to use words like this who have essentially lost their meaning, given society's odd way of warping things. Maybe it isn't society, maybe it's the digital age. Regardless it seems as though anything remotely sexual in nature is viewed as smut or taboo, nevermind ''tastes''. In reality, everyone is a product of sex. This is logic and art, of its many definitions, is a statement of existence, fueled by complexities, emotion and private things. To keep art unbound is to maintain purity. Unbound art means that you do not care or give much mind to what someone else thinks about your creation. As an artist, one stunts their growth, when such things become important. Typos galore, i'm sure but I haven't had quite enough espresso to fix them just yet.
'Spirit' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| A composition of that which is elusively beyond comprehension. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/spirit-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-8x10-framed |
'Cannibal (Tortured Artist)' by Cierra G. Rowe
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| As an artist, you are a kind of performer; opening yourself for all to see. Perhaps your audience consumes you and your pain makes it all the more appetizing. Perhaps enough is never really enough, for them and they are not sated until all of you, every bit, is on display. Then comes the great climax, as you are littered with roses, attention and applause. One final standing ovation from your audience of empty faces. After you have given your all and passionately emptied yourself comes silence. Only then will your audience walk away, on to the next amusement — leaving you as you lay motionless. This portrait is a question of what it means to be famous and to know, deep down, that fame is fleeting because you cannot hold everyone's attention forever. https://www.artofcierra.com/product/cannibal-tortured-artist-acrylic-on-canvas-panel-8x10-framed |
Early Compositions
My earliest works pave the way for current works. As an artist (painter), change is narrated through brushstrokes. My earliest drawings and compositions have always imprinted on later art. Especially my way of capturing the human form. It has always been abstract, especially after realising that realism did not quite satiate me. My way of painting human beings is more of an abstract and figurative fusion. A good example of this is the drawing shown below (which I completed several years ago using markers and colored pencils); 'Famine'. I tend to distort faces, while adding colors that accentuate what I am conveying in any given composition. A much later example of this is through looking at my paintings 'Sex' and 'Cannibal (Tortured Artist)'.
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| 'Famine' - Cierra G. Rowe est. 2016 |
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