Friends

In Annalynne’s darkly textured, figurative composition, 'Friends', there are juxtaposing elements of sadness and humor underlining the formal relationship of the two characters. Her interest in defining the elements that draw people together, and of observing life, almost in a Proustian sense of irony and amusement, comes across in all her works. She draws inspiration from German Expressionism, Japanese anime and the dark colors of 19th Century European formal art, the result of which is a scene created predominately by the colors used in the work and the expression of the characters. There is a minimalist use of formal objects, a cup or a table for example, hinting at the setting or uber-meaning of the work. Time and place is evoked rather than too obviously defined. The two dimensional, deeply textured, technique using layered oil on large canvas is not only visually effective, but gives the work a tactile aspect that “stands out”. The colors are rich, even though dark hues are mainly visible in this work. The use of overtones or undertones is subtle having the effect of giving the picture a smoky atmosphere. One can almost smell the smoke and the cheap wine in the mugs of the two friends.