Sapphire
2016
71.12 x 58.42 cm | 28 x 23 in
Graphite, black conte, gouache, white chalk
- ARC Purchase Awards ($9,000)
- Second Place ($1,000 Cash Award) / Drawing
This work is in the Collection of the Art Renewal Center.
Sapphire by Amaya Gurpide
Home / Salons / 14th ARC Salon
"I'm completely captivated by nature. Working from life is one the most fascinating and rewarding experiences as an artist.
I work from models, usually people that I don't know but choose carefully based on the story I'd like to communicate through them. I'm always searching for a deeper truth and I need to spend quite a long time, sometimes months, knitting the necessary layers of both technical and emotional information to achieve a solid, tangible reality.
When I draw I think as a painter and prepare my papers with the right tone and tooth according to the results I'd like to achieve. I experiment with graphite, white and black chalk, gouache and charcoal, and use different kinds of brushes to create a painterly feeling. I approach them as painted drawings.
I met the model for Sapphire through an ad I posted looking for models. Her gaze was absolutely striking. I was enthralled by the power of her eyes. She had a rich, dark color that was hypnotizing, it reminded me of the depth of a black sapphire stone and I chose to use them as an element to carry the mood and narrative of the drawing." – AMAYA GURPRIDE