Nikki By Julie Bennett 'Nikki' (pictured) is a fictional character based on a mass-mediated photographic reference. Drawn by her confident pose, I wanted to elevate her from being an anonymous model advertising a celebrated product to the status of icon through paint.
In contrast to the control offered by oil, when working in gloss paint I allow this unforgiving medium to lead me in the process of mark-making. I enjoy the challenges it brings and the weight of it dripping down the surface. Gloss gives me only one chance to get the brush My objective was to use the mark in the place I want it. randomness of the brushstrokes to bring out an im- I don’t want layers of misagined personality of the takes as they are all on subject, superfluous to the show as unlike oil it cannot intentions of the mediated be corrected. I like how the image from which they were immediacy of the paint drawn. even after years still feels straight out of the studio, By separating the individual dripping wet, shiny, direct from their original context, I brush marks, painted in invite the viewer to consider whether they see these individuals. NIKKI (Oil) by Julie Bennett
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