Pam

Back to Issue 13

Pam by Michelle Keefe
[Medium: Oil on Canvas]

 


This work is a combination of two of my favorite things to paint: figures and cloth. Pam and I had lived in Italy together, and she knew I needed source material. She grabbed one of her favorite scarves and said “let’s go find a fan.” It’s not the most exciting backstory, but I loved the way it turned out. Pam’s hand, her fixed gaze, the warm hazy palette – they create a mood for me and I’ve invented countless stories about what “Pam” might be doing here. If you didn’t know my own backstory for the painting, I wonder what story you see in her.

Michelle Keefe is entering into her 3rd year of the MAR degree at YDS, concentrating in visual arts. She is focusing on Early Christian art, particularly related to the early cult of Mary. She has been drawing and painting figures and portraits since 6th grade, thanks to a phenomenal art teacher’s gift of a sketchbook. She loves being observant and attentive to details, which aids her tremendously in her art, her research, and most recently in her enthusiasm as a birder.