Email: agarwalaneha6@gmail.com
Instagram: @agarwalaneha_
Born in India, Neha Agarwala is a student immigrant pursuing a B.A. in Honours Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo, Canada. She specializes in oil paint portraits of those close to her. Employing techniques often associated with Caravaggio (chiaroscuro and metaphor), the images found in her work are embedded with symbolism, in reference to the sitters’ character traits, as seen through Agarwala’s eyes.
Artist Statement
I use painting as a means of putting an individual on a canvas. Perspective is an important aspect when it comes to the very being of a person. Everyone has a different image of each person they have met in their mind. It might be close to who the person actually is/was, or it might be something completely opposite. I use the image of these someones, seen from my perspective, and put it on a canvas using oil paints.
Someone is a series of oil paintings of my friends and family. Using multiple reference pictures of objects, landscapes and people, I combine them to make a final piece depicting my viewpoint of the person. I use whatever brief passing thought I have of the person at the very beginning of creating the piece and put it on the canvas to the best of my ability. By using well thought out lighting, poses and clothing, I try to capture the essence of the someone, creating a timeless piece dedicated entirely to the individual.
Interview
What does your work aim to say?
My work aims to study people and their personalities through creating a work of art that solely represents them. Through conversation, general observation and my knowledge of the person, I create paintings that give a physical form to the individual’s identity through poses, lighting, background, colors, etc. Currently I am working with friends and family to create these pieces.
Do you have a favorite work of art that inspires you?
I have always been obsessed with paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance period. The amount of detail and thought that had gone into every single piece has always mesmerized me. I think the influence that these artworks have had on me is very visible in my pieces. The use of dark shadows, poses, details, combination of colors and the storytelling behind every work inspires me the most. When I am putting together a painting, these thoughts and trying to incorporate these aspects comes naturally without me having to try.
What is your usual artmaking process like? What are your preferred mediums?
Recently, I have started working with oil paints on stretched canvas. It gives me a lot more freedom and flexibility when painting near realistic portraits and landscapes that other mediums don’t.
My art process usually consists of finding reference material for the painting I have in mind first. These pictures consist of the main subject that I take a picture of with specific lighting and outfits in mind, pictures of other paintings that are similar to the one I am working on and pictures of possible backgrounds that I can use for reference. Since there are many different pictures that I reference while making a piece, I sometimes try to put them together using photoshop to see how it would turn out first (however, most of the time I end up changing the entire background anyway, haha, struggles of every artist am I right?). So, in conclusion, I never know the outcome of the painting until it’s done. It’s pretty experimental when it comes to the subject matter.
What is your background?
I come from a family of artists. My mom, uncle, grandparents are all involved in art in some form. I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. I started taking classes when I was in the 11th grade in an institute that was run by an art gallery and that had practicing artists as instructors. Back then I would only recreate other pieces of artwork, trying to refine my skills. It was only recently that I started thinking of my own pieces being enrolled in a BFA program.