Painting Thoughts

The work of Jenny Saville is very interesting to me for a number of reasons. Initially I believe I was rather surprised and taken aback by the audacity with which she painted, chiefly by her choice of subject matter. I could appreciate the huge scale and the interesting paint application, which becomes very realistic in areas and evades representation in others. Saville’s work can be hard to look at because of the frank facial expressions and the intensity that comes from painting flesh instead of skin, but they are painted so beautifully that they often become what Saville refers to as “the landscape of the brush marks…” The more I have thought about painting and painters I like though, something about Saville’s work has resonated with me. After reading a little more into her work and some of her quotes I have come to really enjoy not only the way she paints, but also her message about how women are regarded in today’s society.