Toni Morrison
Acrylic paint on Masonite board
18 in x 18 in
I have chosen to represent Toni Morrison in my painting, as she is the first African-American woman to earn a Nobel Prize in Literature. She is renowned for her novels that revolve around the black African-American experience and the impact of family and racial history on one’s identity. Her stories portray the raw and blatant truth of slavery in America, void of euphemism. One such novel is Beloved (1987), for which she earned a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Morrison positively impacted humanity through her groundbreaking novels that opened up discussions of race in America and her activism during the civil rights movement and the emergence of womanism. Morrison’s teaching career and legacy have inspired and continue to inspire black authors and youth to express and acknowledge black African-American history. Furthermore, the background portrays symbolic elements rendered in a similar style to Kehinde Wiley. Trilliums are the state wildflower of Ohio, where Morrison was born; the three-petaled flower represents balance, signifying Morrison’s efforts to showcase issues of racial equality in America. Morrison lived most of her life in New York, whose state flower is the rose; I chose to represent a native, showy rose that attracts pollinators to convey her love for nature and the positive and welcoming impacts of her career. Leaves and stems cover the background to unite the roses and trilliums and symbolize the interconnectedness between those of a shared community, a shared history, and a shared planet.
Detail Shots
Moreover, the element of organic lines helps create interest in the piece and leads one’s eye throughout the painting. Secondary colours, including hues of purple-reds, yellow-oranges, and cool greens, help unify the artwork; the purplish-red flowers bring out the purple hues of the shirt and lips, which helps create a cohesive design. The black shadow on the face draws emphasis, while the bright colours of the background prevent the black from becoming overpowering. The repetitive flowers, leaves and use of the stylistic rendering on the figure create harmony. In addition, the meticulous details and use of vibrant colours are very successful in the painting. The stylistic and elaborate rendering of the face with varying values gives a sense of three-dimensionality. The use of symbolism and colour choices makes this piece an interesting representation of Toni Morrison and her legacy.
Progress
