Born in 1985 in Providence, RI, and raised in North Stonington, CT, Taryn Alessandro moved to Boston, MA after high school to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from Boston University in 2007. In addition to her BFA, she has studied fine arts at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts and the Decordova Museum School. She has shown work in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Italy,and Hawaii. Taryn spent the summer of 2005 landscape painting in Tuscany, Italy. Following graduation from BU, she worked as an artist and graphic designer in New York City. After a series of tragic events in her life, in March of 2009, Taryn decided to take advantage of an opportunity to move to the beautiful island of Maui, HI, welcoming fresh inspiration and ideas into her work.
Artist Statement:
“I’ve had a love affair with drawing and painting ever since I can remember. Visual arts have always been my passion and I plan on keeping our relationship strong forever. When painting, my primary focus is on people: real people in their everyday environments. My goal is to bring a very human sense of life and emotion into my work. I want my paintings to have conversations with and develop a relationship with the viewer, making them want to know more about my subjects.The use of harsh materials in my paintings, such as paper, resin, corrugated cardboard and gold leaf to juxtapose with the fleshy painted figures, creates a comparison between what is human and what is not. These materials add texture, depth, and excitement to my work and give viewers both a visual and tactile experience. My influences are mostly everyday experiences. I like to re-create stories that are going on in my own relationships with a voyeuristic approach. Intimacy is one of my favorite subjects to explore because of the complexity of emotions that go into it. I often leave my subjects somewhat emotionally exposed, allowing viewers into a very private moment, and giving them the opportunity to critique what is actually going on. I am inspired by the expressive and romantic nature of Egon Schiele’s figure drawings and Edgar Degas’ ballerina paintings. Gustav Klimt has influenced the use of gold leaf and pattern in my work, and I have drawn inspiration from Wayne Thibaud and Edward Hopper’s bold colors and use of line.”
Materials Used: “I use harsh materials in my paintings, such as paper, resin, corrugated cardboard and gold leaf to juxtapose with the fleshy painted figures, creating a comparison between what is human and what is not. These materials add texture, depth, and excitement to my work and give viewers both a visual and tactile experience.”
